The One Who Did Not Fight For His Country

The one who did not fight for his Country he is in his late eighties today
Quite healthy and lucid for his age though the years have left him looking gray
Most of those he went to school with became soldiers and many of them in war died
And he who never wore a soldier's uniform is living though time it is not on his side.

I once asked him why he never became a soldier he said war it does not interest me
To fight overseas for my own Country's so called freedom did not make any sense to me
I do not have a God or a Country nor a patriot I've never been
But to others I'm not any different the ups and downs of life I've seen.

He is such an interesting old fellow his main interests are in the Arts and Poetry
At every important Art Exhibition he goes to the State Gallery
He knows about Poetry and Literature in general and his memory serves him well
The life stories of his long dead school friends he can recall with fondness and tell.

The one who did not fight for his Country doesn't attend the Anzac Parade
He says I've never risked my life in battle but my debt to this Land I have paid
He will tell you war does not interest him he would rather die old than die young and brave
And the Last post for him won't be bugled on the day he is put in his grave.