For those who have lost a brother in combat. |
(For those who don't know about the last roll call. It is part of a memorial ceremony when a soldier in a unit is killed. The company first sergeant or the platoon sergeant depending on how big the ceremony is will call off the names of everybody in the unit. Everybody responds with "Here first sergeant" or "here sergeant". The dead soldiers name is said last. It is first called out with as rank and last name eg. Pvt. Doe. Of course there is no response so then it is called out with rank first and last name eg. Pvt. John Doe... and then the last time the name is called it is rank, first, middle, and last name eg. Pvt John Joeseph Doe. After there is no response for the third time the firing squad of 7 people fires three volleys and then taps is played. The ceremony includes a display of boots with a rifle stuck in the ground between them and a helmet resting on top, and also the person's picture. I hope this can help people understand this poem.) The Last Roll Call Here we stand in formation To honor a brother who served his nation One by one our names are read As the tears begin to shed His name is called there is no sound Just solemn faces all around Three times in all his name is said But he cannot answer for he is dead READY AIM FIRE READY AIM FIRE READY AIM FIRE He will never shoot another round His rifle sticks in the ground I see the boots he used to wear They’re empty now he isn’t there I’ll forever remember the day he died I’ll remember today when we all cried So on this day we say goodbye But in our hearts he’ll never die |