The Unknowing Soldier Part I and II

Part I- a protest poem


What lies beneath the lies?
Is it the need to rule?
Don’t play us for a fool!
“There is no resistance!”
Is their insistence.
We know you lie, unknowing,
On some sandy concrete floor.

What lies beneath the lies?
The telegrams say ‘Missing’.
Why keep the families guessing?
Why don’t they admit you’re gone?
The numbers kept artificially low
Fool no-one.
Would it have been easier to take
If it hadn’t been a mistake?

What lies beneath the lies?
The greed outstripping common sense.
The need for power
To fuel a way of life.
A life wasted by ‘friendly fire’
To keep the home fires burning.
Would it have hurt less
If death hadn’t come
From one of your own?




Part II
- in search of closure

“Missing”
How strange.
Just one word.
Nothing more to say.

“Missing”
What next?
Are you dead?
Will you be found?

“Missing”
Or dead?
Not quite yet.
When will we know?

“Missing”
Not sure
if I should
grieve or just wait.......

“Missing”
your smile.
There’s a space
where you should be.