Ian Bartlett

Ian Bartlett Poems

The Best Poem Of Ian Bartlett

Why Are They There?

Why are they there?


Why does he tread into the sniper's sights?
Why forge unflinchingly ahead
Amid the bullets and the IEDs?
On whose authority and by what right?
Steps into territory, not led
But leading by example, if you please,
A troop of adolescents keen to fight
For the ideals of a democracy
For justice, truth and liberty
For the September dead, for right
For those who fell out of the sky
For those who jumped out of the smoke and flames
For those who could not help, yet dying tried
For friends, for family, for a list of names
Called out at ceremonies, led
By dignitaries remembering those who died
Those dead, expendable today
To men and women with short memories
Who say his place is here, not there
Whose tide of sentiment has swept
Away his honour and his dignity
And yet he treads into the sniper's sights
Forges unflinchingly ahead
Amid the bullets and the IEDs
On their authority, and that they might
Retire safely to their beds at night
And wake ungratefully next day

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