One Thousand Men Are Walking

One thousand men are walking,
Walking side by side,
Singing songs from home,
The spirit as their guide.

They walk toward the light, Milord
They walk towards the sun,
They smoke and laugh and smile together,
No foes to outrun.

These men live on forever,
In the hearts of those they saved,
A nation truly grateful,
For the path of peace they paved.

They march as friends and comrades,
But they do not march for war,
Step closer to salvation,
A tranquil steady corps.

The meadows lit with golden beams,
A beacon for the brave,
The emerald grass untrampled,
A reward for what they gave.

They dream of those they left behind,
And know they dream of them,
Forever in those poppy fields,
There walks one thousand men.

Joshua Dyer 2019

(aged 14)