A MILITARY poet based in Chard has turned his eye to the key workers on the front line in the fight against coronavirus.

Clive Sanders is a war veteran, and also serves as the town’s macebearer.

His poems have made headlines before, being shared through his Facebook page, Somerset Landscape Artist and Poet.

Clive’s 2013 poem Unless You’ve Been A Soldier has more than three million views, and has featured in remembrance services around the world.

His latest poem is called Today’s Heroes.

About the NHS, Clive said: “They deserve as much praise as possible.

“As you know I am a Military Poet and normally write my poems about brave soldiers, but it hit me that the defenders of our nation in this crisis are everyone in the NHS.

“I think our nation should reward them all in the same way as we recognised the contribution of Malta in the second world war.

“Give the NHS the George Medal.”

Clive joined the army in 1965 and served until his retirement in 2012.

TODAY’S HEROES

Sonya is a hero and so are Ben and Sue, Their battle fought in hospitals, their uniforms are blue.

They don’t wears rows of medals, they don’t march past cheers, They simply fight to keep us safe, as they always done for years.

Sonya wakes up early and soon waves to say goodbye, Her family watch her drive away, all trying not to cry.

They know that she’ll be working, with people deadly ill, They only hope that she’ll be safe and not have to pay the bill.

Sonya works til very late, then makes her way back home, Her mind’s still in the hospital, her hair’s not had a comb.

She starts to think of family and she hopes that they’ve been fed, For all she really wants to do is quickly go to bed.

Her husband’s in the window as she parks her little car, He waves and blows a kiss to her and shouts “Let’s welcome Ma.”

The children rush to hug their mum, they think so strong and brave, While she’s still thinking of the man she fought so hard to save.