solder Hero (rewritten)

Soldier Hero

They are so proud of their son, the war hero,
and now he was given the highest accolade
a soldier can receive, from a grateful nation.
In the great hall they met generals who said
it was an honour to meet the parents of a hero,
they had brought up a fine son, (post mortem
medals are as soft plaster on ulcers of grief.)

Music and red carnation, chocolate cake and
tea; the nation’s president shed blameless and
manly tears, his lachrymose for us to admire;
pity the hero wasn’t there. Time to go as low
paid cleaners came, gobble up the remains of
the cake, drank lukewarm tea, and idly spoke
about the weather and the high price of gas.