I stood..

I stood at the grave of a man I’d never met. 

Yet, I feel I know him. 

His name I know. His rank too. 

I know what he did and what he did it for. 

He fought in a war from before I was born. 

I fought that war too, in a different way. 

I knew what he went through, how he might have felt. 

Emotions run high as I stand at that grave. 

Wish I could have said “hello, how you doing?”

Wish I could said “thank you for your service”

Wish we could have sat in the pub, and told stories all night. 

He’d have told me of his life. 

I’d tell him of mine. 

How his story and mine, coincidences in life, 

Brought me together, with my lady, my wife. 

I can’t tell him those things. 

He can’t share his life. 

He died in that war, gave others their lives. 

I have stood where he lay, I’ve waited so long. 

Currahee, my friend Bill. 

No more fighting, no more. 

Your memory I’ll honour, the rest of my days. 

Rest easy and sleep now. 

Thanks for your service, your time is done.