A Soldier and a Child

The rugged path he trod took him,
Through deserts, hills and valleys,;
And sometimes through where hope grew dim,
In dark and shady alleys.

Though as he walked in peril's way,
Aware his steps could falter,
He knew the faith he had that day
No power on earth could alter.

So, he pressed on with fortitude,
Braving each storm and danger;
With gallant, dauntless attitude,
Amid friend, foe and stranger.

And then one day, just after dawn,
He stepped out of the shadow;
And all at once, he came upon,
A bright and winsome meadow.

A chirping bird, it's sound so sweet,
The fragrance of a flower,
They soothed his mind and tired feet,
'Twas such a pleasant hour.

It seemed like heaven he had found,
Where joy's for ever after,
And then he heard the sweetest sound,
The sound of children's laughter;

He turned around the sight to see
Three children in uniform;
Aheading off to school, the three,
And a nearby village from.

Two boys, a girl, stopped in their tracks,
Being startled by his presence:
They stood there with their haversacks,
Amazed at his appearance.

The youngest boy, instinctively
Did show the least resistance:
The elder two, more cautiously,
Maintained a safer distance,

The little boy stretched out his hand,
The soldier extended his;
As if it were divinely planned,
A rendezvous such as this.

Says the lil boy, without a fear,
"Sir, I want to be like you".
The soldier fighting back a tear,
To the boy replied, "Me too".

Now, all around there fell a hush,
As both at eachother smiled;
As there upon the green grass lush,
Stood the soldier and the child.

No matter what each human role,
Be it violent or mild,
Yes, deep within each wearied soul,
Is a soldier and a child.

Eric A Trott

16th October 2019

Beyond Rectification

Though she could see the truth concealed,

She chose to pay attention,

To just the things that he revealed;

The things he chose to mention.

That she knew all she needed to

Was simply his assumption:

And he was kind and loving too

In his own vain presumption.

She closed her eyes to all the gaps,

Each obvious exclusion;

And chose instead, for love perhaps,

Irrational delusion.

He could not comprehend her needs,

What caused her soul's suppression:

Nor could he apprehend his deeds

Were cause of such oppression.

Though she'd believed that hurting her

Was never his Intention,

She knows what caused her trust to blur,

Her dreams were her Invention.

He could not see the cracks appear,

Nor declining affection,

Till every trace did disappear

Neath conceited pretension.

And so the times and seasons passed

In the world of her creation,

Until she broke, wearied at last

With living in deception.

He could not see what lay ahead

Was ultimate destruction;

Or he might have conceived instead

A method for prevention.

T'was how things went on, seeming like

There wasn't much confusion,

Until at last the troubled hike

Did reach a sad conclusion.

They parted ways, each heading to

A different destination:

Relationship broken in two

For lack of explanation.

So, my friends, a relationship

Needs good communication:

Before it even starts to slip

Beyond rectification.

Eric A Trott

8th July 2019