John-Ward Leighton

John has been a poet since he was eight years old but it was not something he revealed to the “macho” world of the soldier. Most of the poetry he wrote in the service had to wait until he attained the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Army and had one of the coveted end rooms in the barracks but he didn’t actually write any poetry about service life until some 35 years after leaving the service.

Sandy Howel and GrandsonGRIEF

There is a funeral today
for a woman I didn’t know.
What can I say?
I only have her reputation
on which to go.
She tried, to always, do the right thing
for God, family and country
and unfortunates a world away.
A soldier in the war against neglect
she helped put food in African tummies
and showed them that they too deserve respect.
Sandy we will never meet
but her karma lives on.
We promise to keep her memory
and work alive.
For this we will strive
this song we will sing
because of Sandy
we will do the right thing
and thwart the cruel time thief
and triumph with her example,
fighting through
our
grief.

©Copyright May 27, 2006 by John-Ward Leighton