A lullaby's lament.

Sleep tight
little boy
Close your eyes and dream
Till the morning’s dawning light
Sleep my little boy.

Sleep tight,
little man,
Growing strong and tall
Life now calls you on my son,
Sleep my little man.

Stay here longer
Till you’re stronger
Don’t grow little man
Sleep my little boy.

Sleep tight,
soldier son,
Before you leave our shores
Tomorrow calls you off to war
Sleep my soldier man.

Catch this moment my heart
As a precious treasure within
Let me hold you one last time
Stay here, stay here.

Sleep safe
my soldier man
The shells now scream and fall
Fighting for some foreign soil
Sleep my little man.

Rest in peace,
my precious son
Memories now remain
Tomorrow brings another’s pain
Was it all in vain
This gravestone holds your name.

Wars are not won.
Winner and losers simply retreat from mutual slaughter
to build memorials to the dead
who were deemed worthy sacrifices for short term gains
made in offices far from the front line.