All the Someone's

He walked a path long beaten
he took a path well trudged
he judged decisions past decided
he judged decisions past judged

he walked along the memories
the inscriptions of virtue and pride
he walked among the eulogies
carved in stone along the side

in his mind a hundred stories
in his heart a thousand words
in his eyes a million prayers
so much death and so much hurt

a million waiting families
a million hopeful hearts
so many lives shattered
so many torn apart

and as he walked along
he read in passing words on stone
he read a thousand messages
that declared this tomb a throne

some were written
and some were blank
some were empty,
and many had no titled rank

some left families
some left friends
some had favors
they never lent

and a few wrote endless letters
and some of those few
had no one back home
to send those letters to.

and he laid down the flowers
he had brought with him today
beside the headstone
of an unmarked, unknown grave.

and in his eyes he saw the cross
and in his heart he felt the pride
for all of the soldiers
who put their lives on the line

and the someone’s we knew,
and the someone’s we don’t
the someone’s we’ll remember
and the someone’s we won’t.

and after a moment,
he turned and he walked away
down that well worked path
the same way he came

passing the crosses,
and the stones he knew well
wondering at the stories
each one had to tell

and he didn’t look back
but there was no need
for the things the place gives you
you don’t need to see

and with the sun in his eyes,
and warming his face
he thought what a peaceful
wonderful day

and at the roadside he got
in his car and drove away
thinking of all the someone’s
he had to thank for that day