A man and A boy

A man in a trench,
A boy in his home.
The man hears a gun shot,
The boy hears a phone.

A man in a trench,
Watching his mates die.
A boy in the yard,
Watching birds in the sky.

A man running fast,
In his mate's place.
A boy running fast,
Coming first in a race.

A man shooting a gun,
losing part of his soul.
A boy kicking hard,
and shooting a goal.

A man in a trench,
A boy in his home.
The man hears a gun shot,
The boy hears a phone.

The boy lying safe,
Tucked up in bed.
The man being shot,
Lying cold, still and dead.

The phone call brings,
The worst news of all,
Daddy's been hit,
He's had a great fall.

The boy doesn't understand,
"Mommy, what's wrong?
Why are you crying?
What's going on?"

"Are those happy tears?
Was that the army on the phone?
Is it good news, mommy?
Is daddy finally coming home?"

A boy at a funeral,
A man in a coffin.
"Daddy why'd you leave us?
Why are we forgotten?"

An original piece, by my good friend, Allison Carleton.