MARKERS OF STONE
Bleached white markers carved from bleached white stones,
Bearing the names - marking the spot - where we rested their bones.
The rows carry on as far as we can see;
The price, Oh the price for this country to be free.
They rose against Colonialists,
Fought the mercenaries too.
They began to make their sacrifice,
When this country was brand new,
An agonizing conflict - brothers at each other's throats,
The bodies stacked like cordwood wrapped with blue and grey greatcoats.
Too many young lives snuffed out... too many loved ones left alone,
Too many of our countries best... under markers made of stone.
We, as a nation, got our sanity back, and the healing came to be
A stronger growing nation ever striving to be free.
Cast its eyes beyond its shores and what did our country find?
While it had mended fences... the world had lost its mind.
Again, the nations young were called into the fray
Young men and women answered and cast themselves into harm's way.
To put a stop to evil plans ... to ensure the lamp of freedom shone,
Again, there were far too many left... under markers made of stone.
Not content with the World Wars done,
The evil in the world found more ways to have its evil fun.
In the name of stopping communism the politico's war was honed,
And many thousand's more of us were left sleeping under stone.
Some of the sacrifices were required and some of them were just unneeded,
The message that was sent is a message that must be heeded.
When your nation calls out to you to preserve the gifts that we've been given,
Remember those who have gifted you and now reside in soldier's heaven.
When evil gathers strength and lashes out at us in hate
We must respond in kind and not delay until it's too late.
And still we must pay the price with life and limb and bone,
To keep our way of life we risk more markers made of stone.