Welcome to the terminal ward.

And here is the man
who waits on the terminal ward.

The fading life
of the broken man
who slowly dies on the terminal ward.

And here is a clock
marking the time
of the fading man
who waits on the terminal ward.

Here is a soldier
home from the war
bearing the medals
that hide the scars
of the honoured man on the terminal ward.

This is the end
of the winding road
walked by the soldier
wearing the medals
that glint in the sun
that shines on the man on the terminal ward.

These are the times
enclosed in the walls of the ward
where the words come hard
to the lips of the soldier
who watches the clock
that marks the time
of the life of the man on the terminal ward.

Here is a man in a government hat
who walks down the ward
over the creaking boards
past the soldier
who watches the clock
as time passes cruel
waits for no fool
at the foot of the bed of the man on the terminal ward.

This is the world of truth gone flat
and the crocodile tears
of the man in a government hat
who stands silent
on the creaking boards
in the sunlit ward
as the soldier
speaks a solemn prayer
for the fading man in the bed on the terminal ward.

Here is a child
who plays on the floor
as time turns back
in the face of the man
in a government hat
silent on the wavering boards
as the soldier weeps
and the dying man dreams
in the sunbeam light that streams
as he gently sleeps in the bed on the terminal ward.

This is the door that opens and closes
on the child who plays on the floor
as time spins slowly back
to the man in a government hat
who lives in a world
where the truth has all gone flat
stood on the sunlit boards
where the soldier clutches medals
in the final moments
of the fading life
of the man who sleeps on the terminal ward.

Here is a woman carrying roses
through the door that opens and closes
past the boy who plays on the floor
turns her back on the man in the government hat
the planks of board creak no more
smiles at the soldier
looks at the fistful of medals
and time stands still and the clock stops ticking
as she remembers the man
and the day of their wedding
she kisses the head of her man but can't do more
as the sunlight fades on the broken man on the terminal ward.