The Soldier and his Song

For Major David Manlun, 2 Naga Regiment and all the Others who have gone before him....

I have nothing but my words to give and so I've woven them into a wreath of respect and remembrance for you, my Brothers.....

I had sung a Song,

In the quiet of the night;

It gave a happy twirl,

Then, sailed out of sight!

Throbbing in its wake,

My lonely guitar pined;

But my Land had called,

The war bells had chimed.....!

I donned my loyal gun;

In steel and strength circled,

Sans fear, sans regret,

Into battle I hurtled.

My old Song meanwhile,

Travelled my lovely Land;

Over rivers and blue hills,

Over the ocean’s brown sand.

By my busy Mom's side,

It stopped for a while;

Danced on her thoughts,

Till she broke into a smile.

It whirled round my Dad,

A flash of cooling breeze;

He paused at his toil-

Moment's happy reprise!

It reached out to friends,

Landing in their dream;

They sang again my Song-

Its old beloved theme.

The enemy is felled;

And now I only long-

As broken I lie here,

For my guitar-woven Song.

On the wings of the bugles' call,

As they lay me down to rest,

My Song's flown back to me

Sleeps now on my Tri-coloured chest!