LETTER FROM IRAQ

" HE DIED ON THE FIELD OF HONOR,

FIGHTING FOR COUNTRY AND HOME,"

BRAVE WORDS, BUT THEY BRING SMALL COMFORT

TO THOSE HE HAS LEFT ALONE.

"HE WAS IN THE THICK OF THE BATTLE,

HE DIED WITH HIS FACE TO THE FOE."

WHILE THE ONES HE LEFT UNPROTECTED

MUST STRUGGLE WITH WANT AND WITH WOE.

THEY LINED HIS COFFIN IN FLOWERS,

THEY HEAPED THEM UPON HIS BREAST.

WHILE THOSE HE LOVED WERE DENIED HIM,

COULD NOT GIVE HIM A LAST CARESS.

THEY DRAPED HIS BOX IN THE COLORS,

THE RED, THE WHITE AND THE BLUE.

BUT HE HAD A RIGHT TO THE COLORS,

TO THE FLAG WITH IT'S FIELD OF BLUE.

" HE IS NOW SOMEWHERE ON THE OCEAN,

WE ARE SENDING HIM BACK TO YOU,"

AFTER HIS HEART IS SILENT,

THE HEART WE FOUND SO TRUE.

" A BRAVE AND GALLANT SOLDIER,

HE IS MUSTERED OUT AT LAST."

AND THEY THINK I SHOULD NOT HATE THEM,

WHILE MY TEARS ARE FALLING FAST.

BACK TO THE LAND HE WAS BORN IN,

BACK TO THE U.S.A.

HE WILL WAKE NO MORE TO THE BUGLE,

AS IT CALLS AT THE BREAK OF DAY.

HE WILL GO NO MORE INTO BATTLE,

BUT REST IN THE SILENT TOMB.

AND IN THE LAND OF SPIRITS

GOD GRANT I MAY JOIN HIM SOON.

(The Old Hillbilly)