The Soldiers’ Song

At an ANZAC graveyard
Arose soldier apparitions.
One by one they appeared from every grave
They were ready to fight their final war
Each in a ghostly soldier form.
Dressed battle smart
Ready to fight a different war.
Waiting for their command
They grouped in silhouette
Standing at the ready.
Then they marched in line
Onto a busy city street;
Cars screamed to a stop in their tracks.
Pedestrians backed away in disbelief!
All in awe and fear at what they heard and saw.
Ghostly soldiers appearing from nowhere
A bugle sounded
Then the soldiers began to chant:

“We come in peace
We will not hurt you
We’ve come only to request an end to war
War will only be won
Through non-violent negotiation
Communication is the only way
To stop the conflict
Peace and prosperity for all”

To everyone’s astonishment the soldiers turned
Continued in line up the hill to the War Memorial Hall.
People ran and hid, not certain of what they’d seen.
Were they soldiers marching for peace?
The soldiers entered the War Memorial Hall.
The bugle called again and the head soldier said to them:

“You who lost your young lives fighting other people’s war
Will stop it now from ever happening again.
Enter and stay in all War Memorials across the vast land
Greet the men, women and children who pay their respects to the ANZACs
When they ask in trembling voice ‘Who are you? Why are you here?’
You will answer them with The Soldiers’ Song:”

We come in peace
We will not hurt you.
We’ve come only to request an end to war.
War will only be won
Through non-violent negotiation
Communication is the only way.
To stop the conflict.
Peace and prosperity for all!

No more war in Vietnam;
No more war in Afghanistan;
No more war in Iraq;
And please, no war in Pakistan!
The head soldier instructed the ghostly soldiers once more:
“When people understand our mission
That we have been reborn
To erase the suffering once and for all!
The lie that war is for peace and peace is for war.
Listen and obey for we ghost soldiers
Will haunt every place commemorating war.
Nothing will be able to get rid of us!
When you go to a War Memorial Hall
Out of the shadows might come
A kindly soldier’s apparition dressed in army uniform
Who might sing The Soldiers’ Song to you!”

I come in peace
I will not hurt you.
I come only to request an end to war.
War will only be won
Through non-violent negotiation.
Communication is the only way
To stop the conflict for ever more.
Peace and prosperity for all!

You too might start to sing The Soldiers’ Song:
“War will only be won
Through non-violent negotiation
Communication is the only way…