Shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart

They face the unknown with courage and compassion

And go where the blameless have no future

Only the uncertainty of the present

They are defenders of life; armed guardian angels

Who willingly answer the call of duty

With fearless service to their country

For they believe in the inherent rights of all human beings

With enduring strength they stand their ground

In the name of freedom sacrifice all

For even in death's dark valley there is more hope

Than a world where the flame of freedom has gone out

The battles are fierce as wars rage on

And one by one soldiers become victims

But comrades rise where comrades fall

War leaves no room for hesitation

The horrible scars run deep

With senseless and piteous loss of life

And even when the white flag is unfurled

The sorrow of loss silences the cheers of triumph

In foreign lands their souls are set free

But their spirits live on

With families who waited in hope

For homecomings that never were

Wars begin and eventually they end

And peace reigns for a while

But somewhere in the world another tyrant will rise

For evil is always lurking in the shadows

Too many soldiers have died

In the fight for freedom and hope

And although I don't know their names

I will always remember them...

© Annabel Sheila