The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Is it better to pretend, my friends,
that the bugle never stirred my dreams?
I can, if you insist, my dear, concur.

I can send them off tonight, if you wish.
There's not much use for their kind where we belong.
It's time for you and I to meet the crew
Where no one cares nor speaks of their return.

Let us proclaim they have our full support,
Let us thank them for their service, and no more!
Our drinks are here, the food is on its way,
Their fates are not my burden to endure.

We can discuss the facts and figures all night long.
A cappuccino would no doubt cut to the heart
Of the matter we have pondered while we wait,
Whether it's time to buy, sell, or get lost,
Whether the black ships sail again at dawn.

The labyrinth we have built demands its dues.
The roll call does not beg for my consent.
The names, the smiles, the silence break my stride.
They bring me home.