Did you see the old man that day?
As he stood there
on the podium
Bidding farewell to his comrade,
friend.

Did you see him
choke back his tears
Ending his eulogy
In a high pitch
near-wail?

Or the faces
Of those young
impressionable few
who stood in the back rows
awed
by the scene before them.

(He was so calm during the interviews.
did we expect him to cry?)

Did you hear?
the solemnity
of the people
as they recited the pledge
In honour

of one of the old guards
now gone.

Will you now see
the vision
the hopes
the dreams
that are embodied in words
we flippantly ignore
every morning?

Will we pledge ourselves
As one,
united People

with pride?