Our fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins lost.
Our mothers, sisters, aunties lost.
All of them gathered in fields, or went
missing, or drowned at sea, or lost
inside gaping wounds of the Earth;
In memory of those we hold dear,
the loved faces, and those unknown
who strove to sacrifice their last drop
of blood for our safe keeping;
those too young to die,
those too old to go,
these bodies strewn as fodder for the soil,
all the wars we celebrate,
and those detested,
all the brave and those afraid,
all who perished, or offered
their life to return more than half spent,
to those we sing as heroes,
or left unsung,
we remember you today,
your souls be at rest,
and every day we pray,
humanity, God please,
cease their warring.
31 May 2021