to watch old soldiers
chests flash with medals
lead & the young
march quietly into the huge gym
then snap loudly to attention
ease caps off
for the speeches' duration
to learn like me the stories
of heroism leadership
of this man of their battalion
then & then & now so long
before their time
feeding it
high behind them
on the armoury walls
barred windows glow blue
sky scuffed white clouds
small round white lights
also hover there reflected
against that blue
such disappearing transparencies
as one more military elder
speaks the worth of
another mentor
comrade life
the army honours today
no warrior I
am moved by both
his stringent courage
& the young taking it in
yet his daughter's
tough humour's
all I really know
Douglas Barbour
(Sunday December 11) Wednesday 14 XII 05
Douglas Barbour
11655 - 72 Avenue NW
Edmonton Ab T6G 0B9
(780) 436 3320
My roof was once firm
yet now it cannot even
keep the stars out.
Christopher Dewdney
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