TOO BE OR NOT TOO BE

TOO'BE OR NOT TOO'BE

Born on 13th November, 1950, it was to be Peter the Great;
We lived, loved and cherished our beloved son,
And what a bonnie babe he was to be,
Our favourite converse, companion and credit he was to be;
We had planned his childhood which was to be,
We had planned his manhood which was not to be,
He attended his school, he enjoyed so well not to be,
A bright scholar, but a sure plodder, doing his best.
He gave all his strength to his sport and passed this aspect of his life with honours.
As he ran, jumped, threw disc and played field sports,
The air would ring out, "Come on Too'Be; good on you Too'Be".
His last year of school I'll never forget, it was to be,
He was Prefect, a Junior pass, Roma and Brisbane Sports,
The Football Trophy for the second year and books for his year of achievements had to be.
He joined the local Football Club to be with his friends,
And again it was, "Too'Be, come on Too'Be".
We worried that he would get hurt, but now as we look back at his trophies this was not to be.
He was God's gift as a sportsman, true and fair, Too'Be.
He joined the Army, his life we could not deprive,
He was now a man although still Too'Be;
It was not to be that he should have been with his platoon to be 4 R.A.R.
It was to be with remorse, he watched them march out to Townsville to be;
He had to stay to play his favourite sport to be, because he was Too'Be.
On the 25 November, 1970, they took his over to Vietnam,
What for nobody knows, or will ever know;
A white elephant it has proved to be,
And as one of the greatest sins ever to be, or will ever be.
He never complained, but this was just like him to be.
On the 12 June, 1971, God said it had to be,
He had chosen him for a better field, a foot ball field to be or not to be.
I have asked myself the reasons why a million times,
But tomorrow I know, Too'Be will be there to know to be or not to be.
On the 26th June, 1971, he was carried by his pals to rest for ever to be.
It was to be the school he had honoured and enjoyed;
The grounds full of children as his long cortege to be should pass.
To some it was just another event to be, but to those who knew him to be,
They lowered their heads and whispered, "Good-bye, Too'Be".
On the 8th July, 1971 to show what a great guy he had been:
A soldier, a good citizen and a true sportsman he had to be;
And I thank you lads for his wonderful gesture you had given in honour of Too'Be.
On the 13th November, 1971, his day of minority which was never to be,
I know it can not be a gift of pleasure to give to my beloved son Too'Be;
But it has to be but a thought of happiness in your new world to be,
A bouquet of flowers, a tear and a thanks to God for one so good for such a short time to be.

MOTHER

The above poem appears on this site with the kind
permission of Peter Tebb's mother, Mrs Agnes Andrews.