The Soldier

THE SOLDIER

Four hundred tired soldiers
Stood silent in a row
Eyes fixed upon the hillside
Waiting for the foe

Suddenly a sign of life
Was made out through the haze
A figure stumbling down the hill
Transfixed their earnest gaze

A soldier cried "it's Sergeant Shaw
I thought that he was dead"
But sure enough twas Sergeant Shaw
Blood streaming from his head.

"The natives are revolting"
Cried the Sergeant dressed in blue
The Colonel turned and looked at him
"And so" he said "are you"

"Incidentally" said the Colonel
"You're fortunate to live.
This soldier seems to think you're Shaw"
Said he "I'm positive!"

But then the sound of war cries
Disturbed the tranquil scene
And hordes of angry natives
Could suddenly be seen

The Colonel stood there bravely
"Fire at will" he said
The soldiers aimed their rifles
But Will had turned and fled

With death so fast approaching
The men fell to their knees
When suddenly an eerie sound
Was caught up on the breeze

A soldier had begun to sing
A haunting melody
It stopped the natives in their tracks
They listened silently

The natives had prepared for war
They had daggers shields and spears
But they had not expected
Attacks upon their ears.

They threw down all their weapons
And ran back to their base
This horrid tuneless screeching
Was more than they could face

And so this single soldier
Prevented the attack
His awful piercing singing
Had turned the natives back

And now upon the hillside
Is a shrine where tourists go
A statue of the man whose name was
Barry Manilow.