The Young Soldier

Off to the war went the soldier,
Off with banners flying,
Off with bands playing,
Off to fight for justice,
Off to see what it meant.

There was much that was valiant,
There was much that was cruel,
There were those who killed for no reason,
There were those who died unknown,
There were who died for nothing.

He was brave, young and naive,
He was diillusioned, inspired and reshaped,
He slept in the mud and the driving rain,
He was invincible
Until the day he died.

Home they brought the soldier,
Home to the speeches,
Home to the textbooks,
Home to the country churchyard
Covered with weeds.