ARLINGTON

     WHEN SHADOWS BEGIN TO WALK ACROSS THE LAND 
     AND THE EVENING STAR SHINES AS GOD PLANNED. 
     AND THE BIRDS SETTLE DOWN FOR A NIGHTS SLEEP 
     WHILE THE LITTLE ONES CEASE TO PEEP 
     I SIT HERE ALONE IN THE TWILIGHT AND KEEP 
     REMEMBERING THINGS THAT MAKE ME WEEP. 

     I LOOK AROUND AT LONG ROWS OF CROSSES 
     JUST A SMALL PART OF OUR NATIONS LOSSES. 
     GUESS I WAS THE FIRST ONE BURIED IN THIS PLACE 
     NO BODY REMEMBERS MY NAME OR FACE 
     OF MY DEATH HERE THERE IS NO TRACE 
     THE WAR OF 1812 WAS NEVER IN MUCH GRACE. 

     THE GUY'S ALL LIKE TO GATHER HERE AT NIGHT 
     AND JUST ARGUE ABOUT THE CEMETARYS PLIGHT 
     WE ALL WADED THROUGH THE BLOOD AND GORE 
     STOOD UP THE BEST WE COULD IN OUR WAR 
     IT'S ALL THE LIE'S AND STUPIDITY WE DEPLORE 
     NO ROOM FOR HERO'S HERE ANY MORE. 

     THE G.A.R. IS THE WORST BUNCH HERE 
     THEY SURE DON'T GIVE THE PLACE MUCH CHEER. 
     THEY MIGHT BE FIRST TO HONOR THIS GROUND 
     BUT THEY SURE ARE THE LOUDEST ONE'S AROUND 
     ONLY WAY TO SHUT THEM UP WEVE FOUND 
     IS TO PLAY DIXIE,THEY HATE THAT SOUND. 

     THE WW1,GUYS THEY ARE NOT SO BAD 
     WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH IS REALLY SAD. 
     IT WASN'T SO MUCH THE GUNS, AS POISON GAS 
     THAT LAY THE REGIMENTS DOWN ENMASSE 
     THEY TOO HAD THE STUPID TOP BRASS 
     AND THE BULLY BEEF SO HARD TO PASS. 

     ARLINGTON CEMETARY  IS OUR NATIONS PRIDE 
     IT'S WHERE ALL OUR HEROS SHOUD ABIDE 
     WE NEVER HAD TOO MANY PROBLEMS TO FACE 
     TILL THE WW2, GI'S FILLED UP THE PLACE. 
     I MEAN THEY OCCUPY EVER EMPTY SPACE 
     TO TURN OUR HEROS AWAY WOULD BE A DISGRACE. 

     A NATION THAT FORGETS PROMISES TO ITS DEAD 
     THAT LIED TO IT'S HERO'S AS THEY BLED. 
     IT TOO WILL VANISH INTO THE MISTS OF TIME 
     AND OUR HERO'S MEMORIALS WILL BE A CRIME 
     NO MORE WILL THEY BE REMEMBERED IN RHYME 
     AND OUR NATIONS NAME WILL BECOME AS SLIME. 
 
~Elmer Ake~