Another Australian soldier dies in Afghanistan

Another Australian soldier dies in Afghanistan
Jane Bardon reported this story on Saturday, July 10, 2010 08:26:00

I was there the day Benny went to war
over there
I wasn’t sure where over there was
or what we were fighting for
I doubt that Benny knew either
yet they said go so go he did
saying little more than see ya mate
full of nervous energy like a grand final footballer
on the first Saturday in September.

Benny was the scrawny kid in grade 3
I was new to the school he was my class buddy
sharing a lifetime of moments
we tackled growing up together
I laid awake at night imagining him
over there
dodging danger in the same irrepressible way
marking our progress by where we were
on the first Saturday in September.

Got a couple of emails from him
from over there
Never said much suppose he couldn’t
Except it was dusty and dirty
and the locals were unfriendly
reading between the lines
it was no church picnic
he hinted he couldn’t wait to be home
sometime before the first Saturday in September.

I was there the day Benny came home
from over there
The band played all solemn like
as the plane rolled to a halt
we all stood still lost in our memories
As the flag-draped coffin was lowered down
and slow marched to the waiting hearse
somebody spoke of heroes and bravery and the Anzac spirit
And Benny’s mum cried for all of us
sometime before the first Saturday in September.

Glenn Loughrey July 2010