The young widow shed tears.
Not tears of regret,
For her warrior solder
Had chosen his way.
~
Pride swelled her heart
When they handed her the flag
That they had folded so carefully
When they removed it from the casket.
~
She looked at the young boy and girl
Who would remember little more then this
This show of respect, of their father.
And again she tried to hold back
~
The tears that wet her eyes
When the jets scored by,
And when the bugler started Taps
Her heart choked up in her throat.
~
In spite of herself
With her children she jumped
When the seven rifleman
Fired the first volley of the 21-Rifle salute.
~
21-Gun shots, for Heads of States
21-Rifle shots for fallen heroes
A fly-by, a flag, and
True respect.
~
They all wish with all their heart
From the pilots above
To the rifleman below
That they had other duty to perform.
~
Three times they fired
21 small explosions to mark
The passing of a solder.
How hard they wish they could do more.
~
When the Rifles fell silent,
And the squadron had flown away
With the flag in her lap
Friends and family gather around.
~
Gather to comfort and console
What could not be comforted nor consoled.
But without them, oh so much harder
Would have been the path she trod today.
~
Her world has ended
Her dreams are dead
They both lay in the ground
With the solder who held her love.
~
But the children at her side
Demand that a new world be built,
That new dreams be born
To carry them and her
~
Into an uncertain future
Where untold challenges await
To test her strength, and bend her will
As she finds her new way.
~
~
~
©
Rexx
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