Terri Sopha
Terri Sopha is the daughter of our beloved artist, Dave Sopha. She has been running the general day-to-day for Portraits of Honour since the beginning and in 2017 officially became our CEO. On top of Portraits of Honour, she's worked as a special needs student transportation driver for the last twenty-two years. She is also the mother of three kids, a girl and two boys, and the Memah 3 grandbabies. She loves children and helping out her community.
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Below is a poem Terri wrote inspired by her middle son, Kolton, talking to her father, his grandfather, about soldiers and the army while Dave painted "Mural Memories" on the side of the old RBC building in Preston, Ontario. It is located next to and is in the full view of the Cenotaph.
Innocence of a Child
by Terri Sopha
A service was held, On that day in November,
For all to gather, Pay their respects and remember
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When a boy and his papa, Sat down in some chairs
And bowed their heads, And listened to prayers
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The boy asked, Papa why do we stand
And remember today? Bow our heads and continue to pray?
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To remember the men, That gave their lives
And honour the ones, Who came home, who survived
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What was the war? Papa, did you have to fight?
All those years ago, All day and all night?
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He was touched by the questions and pulled him up on his knee
He said "I fought in the war, for you to be free"
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How old were you Papa? Were you very young?
What was it like?? Did you carry a gun?
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He said, "I did my dear child", with a tear in his eye
Remembering friends he lost when they died.
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"I was all but eighteen, so carefree in my youth
And still pretty foolish to tell you the truth
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But I became a man, almost overnight
When I went overseas, to join in the fight."
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Were you a Captain or a Sergeant, what was your rank?
Did you get to drive one of those tanks?
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"No, son, I was a sniper, I would hide behind trees
Or crawl in trenches and mud, where no one could see."
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You got to play hide and go seek?
That must have been fun, every day of the week
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The man smiled a smile at the comment he made
The innocence of a child that's in the second grade
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Papa, what are those metals that hang off your chest?
The child took them in hand, he was really impressed
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"They are metals of honour" as he said it with pride
"These metals are known all over and worldwide."
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A moment of silence was upon them now
As the man closed his eyes with some tears he allowed
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Why are you crying? the boy asked with despair
Then took his papa's hand to show him he cared
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Then the bugle began playing the tune "The Last Post"
This was the boy's favourite, the part he liked most
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He looked at his papa when the service was done
And said, Papa I'm so glad that YOU were a lucky one
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The man picked up the boy, and held him tight
And knew at that moment that little man was right
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That lucky he was, to be one who came home
Because he had a family that was all his own
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To love and cherish and watch them all grow
The Lord gave him a gift, to him he bestowed
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Let's go home Papa, as he led the way
He said thank you so much for all I learned today
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When I grow up, I want to be a soldier like you
And make my grandchildren as proud as I am of you
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Enough had been said and they walked home in peace
Hand and hand as they strolled down a quiet FREE street.
