An Old Man Died Last Night - by Robert Gorrie
An old man died in a Nursing Home last night
Alone in his room, nobody was there
The carers found him in the morning, all cold and white
They closed his eyes and combed his hair
Placed the sheet gently over his head
Put his pitiful belongings at the foot of the bed
The old photo of Mary that he kissed every night
They threw in the bin, but it didn’t feel right..
They didn’t pause to reflect on his life
He was nothing special, not famous at all
But he was a boy once, riding to school on his horse
At 16 for the Mother country, joined the Imperial Force
Not once did he mention the horrors he saw
The German soldier he shot was a burden he bore
And then in the trench on a fine summers day
A big shell came over, blew his six mates away
The shrapnel in his leg he carried for life
It played up Old Harry gave him nothing but strife
So they sent him home and they gave him some land
Sixty acres of rocks, lantana and sand
So he laid down some pipes and watered his farm
Lived on tea, damper and rabbit, it did him no harm
He met Mary at church on another fine summers day
Married her quickly, five kids came their way
Two daughters died early, buried up on the hill
His boys on Kokoda are lying there still
And Molly left early, as soon as she could
He awaited her return, but she never would
Mary died young too, just faded away
From a broken heart, he always would say
So rest in peace digger, you’ve earnt that for sure
When your country asked you went to the fore
Say hello to Mary, your kids and your mates
As you are whisked through those heavenly gates
Copyright
2010 Australia
Robert Gorrie