The Common Soldier & The Politician Poem by Kishore Asthana

In times of problems and peril
The politician comes wagging his tail
Praying the soldier would bail him out
And he does so without fail.

Once the peril is over
Lives are lost and medals won
The widow is patted on her back
And the politician's job is done

Then starts the silent battle
Then starts the difficult fight
The soldier's family lives on unsung
Through the lonely night

The politician spends a charmed life
And on his dying day
People who forgot men of steel
Applaud the man of clay

I wonder if there'd be wars
If politicians had to lead the charge
If our ministers became the soldiers
And the PM became the Sarge

Kishore Asthana