I say a prayer for the departing warrior,
Departing for lands whose soil is littered with landmines,
To fight a war he doesn’t understand,
To possibly die in a country he couldn’t care less about
And to empty his rifle into humans who see him as nothing but an enemy.
And to simplify the cause of this war,
He convinces himself that he is fighting for his mother,
Or his young son back home who is obliviously sucking on his mama’s titty.
He convinces himself that he is fighting for home.

I shed a tear for the young mother,
The young mother in army gear weighing forty pounds,
And a G3 that fortifies her place as a killer.
I say a prayer for the baby she had to leave behind,
And the husband who’d have rather she spent her nights in bed by his side.

I say a prayer for these warriors,
For these brothers and sisters fighting for our soil,
Defending our constitution and sovereignty,
Fighting for people who, let’s be honest,
Do not care about them.
We demonstrate for the ousting of an electoral body,
Just because our leaders tell us to
But not for the evacuation of our warriors from enemy territory,
Even when this is at the cost of their lives

I shed a tear for our brothers and sisters in the police service,
And say a prayer for their perpetual strength.
I recognize their ability to wake up every morning,
And put on a uniform associated with corruption and human rights violations.

I sing a happy song for those that rise above condemnation.
Those who, despite meager salaries and dilapidated living quarters,
Really abide by the “serve and protect” maxim.

I only have a tear of sadness for the rest,
Those that paint the service with a brush of terror,
The corrupt and the bullies,
Those that make citizens harbor negativity,
Everlasting feelings of mystery and underlying dislike for the police officers,
And the notion that the National Police Service is a necessary evil

But I ululate and shed a happy tear for our warriors,
The soldiers who fight against those who’d rise against us,
The police whose hearts are made of incorruptible iron,
Who engage criminals on the streets to keep us safe even at the cost of their lives,
I shed them not out of pity or sadness,
But because, ladies and gentlemen, you inspire me.
I recognize your valor,
I salute you.