Where are the war poets? - Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

The cortege stops and silence reigns
The townsfolk feel the family's pain.
The nations' flag lowered to half mast
Our brave hero is home at last.
18. Last Stand (Alex Cockerill)
My last day in the desert
My last day in this sand
I hope I never come back
To this tragic barren land
Many hot days
And many moons have passed
I don’t want to fight this war anymore
My sanity won’t last
Towns have been taken
Towns have been lost
Towns have been taken back again
How many lives has it cost
This war will not end
The stakes are far too high
A few friends are gone already
How many more will die
19. Missing Presumed Dead (Anonymous)
I hear on the news that yet another one has died
My heart goes out to all those they have left behind
It makes me ponder on that terrifying phrase
Those three powerful words
MISSING PRESUMED DEAD
There is a finality there, all fear is there
They have gone.
Yet one clings onto one word more than any other
MISSING
Well, maybe they could be missing
THEY could be mistaken
You suppress any other thoughts that come into your mind
You concentrate on “could be mistaken”
You cling to that one hope you play with the words
Why “presume” You are either dead or you’re not!
Then, you know in your heart, the stark searing pain of reality.
Its true
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