Those Who Chose To Serve: A poem for ANZAC Day

This poem is written in honour of all Australian soldiers, both past and present, who have served on operations overseas. Adapted from my 2016 poem Leave None Behind for ANZAC Day 2018.

THOSE WHO CHOSE TO SERVE

One day I stood in Canberra

And saw names upon the wall

Of the men who gave their lives

When they heeded combat’s call

They bled in France and Turkey

They bled in Vietnam

They bled upon the sandy plains

Of Iraq and Afghanistan

From the jungles of New Guinea

To the Hills at Kapyong

They’ve been game for battle

Even when the odds were long

From peacekeeping in Rwanda

To the Fall of Singapore

They’ve endured horrors

That would shake most to their core

They all chose to serve us

Heedless if they would return

About courage, strength and mateship

Lessons from them we can learn

They’ve gained scars from battle

To keep safe and sound our shores

To champion others’ freedom

Is that not a worthy cause?

It’s said their badge of honour

Is the Rising Sun

Men who put aside their differences

And fought together as one

Not all of them were born

Beneath the Southern Cross

Yet they’re all our sons and brothers

And we’ll forever mourn their loss

With the sounding of the trumpet

With the ringing of the bell

Today we stand to honour them

Both those who lived and those who fell

They shall not grow old

And the years shall not condemn

Lest they be forgotten

Those brave Australian men

Lest We Forget

Rebecca Alasdair