The Last SOldier
 ©Words Robin Clark

The Last Soldier:
Reflecting in a pool of blood
Paralyzed beneath the scud.
Seeing friends face down in mud.
While on the vine, a dying bud.
The Last Soldier:
Yesterday with young cadets;
Smoke rings from his cigarettes;
Quietly, lives with regrets:
Suffering with nightly sweats.
The Last Soldier:
My brother’s and my sisterhood,
The soldiers which restore the good;
Doing what they’re told they should:
The empty space where someone stood.
The Last Soldier:
As you stand there and salute,
A shine instead of muddy boot:
Hoping you won’t have to shoot;
Over what’s not your dispute.
The Last Soldier:
Loyalty denies despair.
Hearing disbelievers’ prayer;
Witnessing the rocket’s blare:
A life where nothing can compare.
The Last Soldier:
Echoes of a battle cry;
Left to live when other’s die.
Never time to say good bye.
Never understanding why.
The Last Soldier:
Coming home to open arms:
People missing all your charms;
How they missed you on the farms:
While quietly we sound alarms.

The Last Soldier:
Do we celebrate this coup?
Touting flags, red, white and blue?
Marching to Cohen’s Revue,
After all you just went through?
 The Last Soldier.
Let it be, you are the one-
Who toted ‘round that heavy gun;
And taught us wars that can’t be won;
When hatefulness can be undone;
And in the end, there’s no home run,
It’s not a game out in the sun.
And wheels they turn as we’ve begun
To canonize daughters and sons
To be….
The Last Soldier.

About Us

ZANI was conceived in late 2008 and the fan base gradually grew by word of mouth. Key contributors came from those of the music, film and fashion industry and the voice of ZANI grew louder. So, when in 2013 investor, contributor and fan of ZANI Alan McGee* offered his support to help restyle and relaunch the site it was inevitable that traffic would increase dramatically and continues to grow. *Alan McGee co-founder of Creation Records and new label 359 Music..

 

What We Do

ZANI is an independent online magazine for readers interested in contemporary culture, covering Music, Film & TV, Sport, Art amongst other cultural topics. Relevant to modern times ZANI is a dynamic website and a flagship for creative movement and thinking wherever our readers live in the world.