soft grumbles

How many would live to be ninety five
living alone, with nothing
but a penny
in his pocket?

How could he be left alone
living in pain, homeless,
begging for food?

How can his country betray him
when he sacrificed
everything including his life
fighting the enemy
so that we
can live in freedom?

The folly of time
is on this decrepit man’s shoulder.
How could we allow him
to live in squalor?

He does not need statues
erected on his name.
All he needs is food to eat
a roof to sleep under
until he does not wake.

But then,
we don’t make
statues of mere foot soldiers,
do we?