SHOT AT DAWN

IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAWN, HE WALKED ONTO THE SQUARE,
EXCEPT FOR EIGHT SOLDIERS, THE PARADE GROUND WAS BARE,
THEY ASKED IF HE WANTED A LAST CIGARETTE,
BUT THE LAD SHOOK HIS HEAD, HIS FEET FIRMLY SET,
WAS THERE ONE LAST REQUEST, A BLINDFOLD PERHAPS,
THE LAD JUST STARED BLINDLY ACROSS THE ROW OF RED CAPS,
HE'D PLEADED HIS INNOCENCE UP TO THE LAST,
NOW! HE JUST WANTED IT ALL OVER FAST
TWO LETTERS AN OFFICER CLUTCHED IN HIS HAND,
LAST WORDS TO LOVED ONES IN A FARAWAY LAND,
THE CLOCK ON THE CHURCH HALL READ A QUARTER TO FOUR,
''FIRE''..CALLED THE MAJOR, AND HIS YOUNG LIFE WAS OER.......
IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAWN, HE WALKED ONTO THE SQUARE,
EXCEPT FOR EIGHT SOLDIERS, THE PARADE GROUND WAS BARE,
THEY ASKED IF HE WANTED A LAST CIGARETTE,
BUT THE LAD SHOOK HIS HEAD, HIS FEET FIRMLY SET,
WAS THERE ONE LAST REQUEST, A BLINDFOLD PERHAPS,
THE LAD JUST STARED BLINDLY ACROSS THE ROW OF RED CAPS,
HE'D PLEADED HIS INNOCENCE UP TO THE LAST,
NOW! HE JUST WANTED IT ALL OVER FAST
TWO LETTERS AN OFFICER CLUTCHED IN HIS HAND,
LAST WORDS TO LOVED ONES IN A FARAWAY LAND,
THE CLOCK ON THE CHURCH HALL READ A QUARTER TO FOUR,
''FIRE''..CALLED THE MAJOR, AND HIS YOUNG LIFE WAS OER.......