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Gerald's Ode

Gerald Law, a fervent supporter of the Fight 4 the PJM, sent us this Ode that he had written whilst reflecting upon the injustice that has been perpetrated upon us.

As he put it, "I just had to compose this little bit of doggerel." Well, doggerel you may call it, Gerald, therapeutic it may have been to write it, but we think your Ode paints a telling picture. We like it and we leave it here for everyone to enjoy.

The ageing soldier stood erect
By the village war memorial.
Remembering those who never returned,
And he thanked God for his own survival.

Proudly shone the medals
That hung upon his breast.
Won in battle many years ago,
And now he'd earned his rest.

>But there was yet one more foe to meet.
A hidden, secret team
Of bumptious Civil Servants
Whose tactics were cowardly and mean.

>Old man, why do you wear those?
I'm sure that you are wrong
To wear so many medals
And include a foreign gong.

Shame upon you, sad old man
That you want to demonstrate
Your service in far off, hostile lands
To support a fledgling State.

Remove that foreign medal
From its place of honour there.
We have not sanctioned it, formally,
For any sort of wear.

You contravene the sacred rules
Made up by our Committee.
And we have ways to punish you-
Just you wait and see.

But this old soldier never knew
How to lose a fight.
So he took on the bureaucracy
With every ounce of might.

To all who live in freedom
Because his comrades gave their all,
Just remember that they responded
To war's strident bugle call.

By the village war memorial
The ageing soldier stood, head bowed.
Still proudly wearing the foreign medal
Remembering the debt that's owed.

 

Gerald Law (ex RAF Borneo Veteran)


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And here are some comments we've received:

Subject = Gerald's Ode

Comment =What a beautiful ode. I'm not ashamed to tell you it brought a tear to my eye.

[Ed: We all agree with you]

("Smudger", UK - name and contact details supplied)

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