A Hero Died Today

A hero died today.
A hero who would have gladly died for his country
Instead died for his country’s greed
A sacrifice on the altar of corporate profits

A hero died today.
Once conquered the genocide of fascist hate
Now vanquished by the genocide of filthy lucre
And filthy liars.

A hero died today
And somewhere a senator weeps
Crocodile tears
As his aides tally the savings
In unspent healthcare dollars.

They do not count the cost
In honor and in trust
For promises are cheap
And easily broken.

And when the factories slow
The great god of all profits
Will rattle shield and sabre
A conflict will be spawned
A new war justified
We wave the flag of patriotism
And new heroes come to die
Or worse, to live
And be forgotten
Like the hero who died today.