I heard it on my truck’s radio,
The Senator's game was postponed;
But I didn't know the reason why,
Until I arrived back at home.
It happened all so suddenly,
A soldier had been shot;
While standing guard in Ottawa,
At our veteran's most sacred spot.
An assassin had sneaked up behind him
And shot him in the back;
Corporal Cirillo was mortally wounded
And died from this sneak attack.
Corporal Cirillo was a Highlander,
From the Argyll Sutherland clan;
He was strong and tough and happy
And was a very honorable man.
The smile on his face would light up a room,
As well as our Canadian Nation;
He has become a symbol of unity
And a hero who died at his station.
There was a caption in our local paper,
About the National War Memorial;
With the unknown soldiers Forever Vigilant,
Standing guard with the fallen Corporal.
This man had so much to offer
And now there is sadness and strife;
He has a little boy named Markus,
Who is the very light of his life.
Now Corporal Cirillo is standing guard,
With his Glengarry hat and kilt;
He’s guarding the gates of Heaven,
Where his blood will no longer be spilt.
Corporal Cirillo will not be forgotten,
And on some far distant field;
The battle cry will be, ‘Remember Nathan’
As freedom our soldiers will shield.
It reminds me of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders
Who have many battle honors to share;
I know they must be heartbroken,
To see their comrade lying there.
But the killer wasn’t finished yet,
As he ran up to Parliament Hill;
He launched an attack on our leaders
And he wanted to continue to kill.
There was another hero there that day,
Who was very quick on the trigger;
He is the Sergeant at Arms of Parliament,
His name is Hon. Kevin Vickers.
Mr. Vickers calmly picked up his gun
And confronted the killer in the hall;
He shot him down quick and sure,
As he cowered near those hallowed walls.
A security guard had been wounded,
As he grappled with the madman;
And slowed him down as best he could,
As he continued with his deadly plan.
The police arrived very quickly,
To join in the thunderous fray;
And quickly moved down the hallway,
To blast the killer away.
Another soldier died that week,
While serving his country proud;
He was run down in a parking lot,
As he was walking along in the crowd.
W/O Patrice Vincent was a firefighter,
A veteran of twenty-eight years;
Who also died wearing his uniform,
With his family we shed our tears.
Now Corporal Cirillo is at his post,
Forever guarding Heaven’s Gates;
Standing tall and strong and happy,
With a beautiful smile on his face!
Bob Bartlett,
North Bay
