The young widow shivers in silent remorse and lets out a painful sigh,

as she hushes her child and tries to explain, why “daddy” had to die.

You see my son, your daddy was a solider, and your daddy was a man,

And when duty called, he left it all, to go fight in a far away land.

So hush now my little one, and please do not cry,

for daddy is a hero, and this we shall never deny.

****

Denial,

With

Soldiers on trial,

for killing and rape,

and more ways to humiliate.

With ritual executions,

Held in horror’s institutions,

All do befall,

our hero’s call.

***

For this is how many, see,

all our heroes to be.

With burnings and lootings

and random rapes and shootings.

All which disheartens me.

***

However, all must know,

That these atrocities, be they ever so low,

Were carried out but by only a few,

Who felt in their evil heart, that it was the thing to do.

So do not let the evil that’s done, label the rest,

That have given their all and have done their best.

***

So when sometime, you may pass a soldier’s widow by,

And you see her daughter or son,

Say a little prayer of thanks that heroes get the job done.

For they give it their all,

when they respond to our country’s call.

****

God Bless America , Through It All.

J. Allen Wilson  © 2004