When my nephew was 14 years old, he developed Xbox thumb, with blisters on each thumb, playing Call of Duty: Black Ops. Would he be honoured with a virtual silver star for courage under fire? I mean, his mum was yelling at him. Would he get a gamer’s Purple Heart for being wounded in the call of duty? So I started wondering, ”Where exactly do cyber soldiers go when they die?”

Do they zip cyber soldiers into cold body bags?

Do their coffins get draped in neat virtual flags?

Do they carry them home in a bare cargo hold?

Do they fire a salute like soldiers of old?

Do you hear the slow beat of the old muffled drum?

Do they carry the squad flag?

Do his soldier mates come to the funeral? *

Do virtual wives cry when they play the Last Post?

Do folk say they died doing what they liked doing most?

Can you pay your respects where the digital dead lie?

Do people look at the headstones and ask ”Why did they die?”

At the close of the day or the rise of the sun, is this a war that can never be won?

Are cyber soldiers just the tin ducks of men?

You gun them all down then – Click! – they pop up again!