The final salute goodbye

The pitter patter of rain
The glance of a child
The stance of a man
The death of a friend.
Confusion enters through us who do not understand.
Why is he standing in the rain?
What does the dead man mean to him?
What good is standing in the rain?
The pitter patter of rain
The placing of a small flag
The tears of a grown man
The solemn salute.
The war has ended for the man who lies below.
There are no sides
No winners
No losers now.
Simply a small flag and a salute.
The pitter patter of rain
The remembrance of a friend
The respect to be given
The tiny wave of a flag.
The rain continues
The man walks away.
A tear still in his face.
A man is no longer a man
A man is now a name
A memory
A piece of a large field
A small waving flag.