Soldiers in the Sand

[couchgrouch]

Soldiers in the SandDinner was on...her roses were wateredso she spent some time on the teeter-totterin the backyard with her boyhe was starting school in Septemberthey sang the ABC song togetherthen he went to play with his toysoldiers in the sandlined up to fightrifles in their handsready to strikesome will fall...some will riseit's in their general's planblank stares fill the eyesof soldiers in the sandher boy was always askin' for Daddymonths had passed...he missed him badlybut all she could do was give him a hugTV in the kitchen but she'd lost patiencewatching those all day news stationsshe couldn't bear to hear about bloodand soldiers in the sandlined up to fightrifles in their handsready to strikesome will fall...some will riseit's in their general's planblank stares fill the eyesof soldiers in the sandher son was too young to know about warbut that day there came a knock at the doorshe thanked the manread the telegramthen slumped by the fridge on the kitchen floorshe wasn't sure her boy grasped the meaning of deathbut when he stopped cryin' he longer played withsoldiers in the sandlined up to fightrifles in their handsready to strikesome will fall...some will riseit's in their general's planblank stares fill the eyesof soldiers in the sand(c)2005 Robert George