Pals they said?
Whole towns and villages
The youth of a generation and more
What's the score?
The patriotic dashing soldier
Goes off to war with fanfare
Cheering and waves, great smiles
And goodbye's. Forever goodbye's
Now its mud, and blood. Heaven and Earth
Great rats bloated on a diet of dead soldiers
Thundering noise, night turned to day
Flooded bomb craters that lead you to a watery grave
A scorched and scared earth, oh mother!
Where are the poppy's now?
Boys cut down like grass. Given no thought or chance
Where are all my pals now? And why all this needless slaughter?
One can rest behind the lines, lost in a sea of poppy's
Birds sing, like its some kind of lost land. Void of carnage. How can this be?
The beauty is awe inspiring, a peaceful corner forever mine
Then its back to the killing
Christmas 1914. But what's this. The enemy slowly appears
Shrouded at first by the battle fog. A white flag?
An unofficial truce?. No shells, bullets or blood
Bewildered.
Cigars swapped for jam.
Introductions and Christmas wishes
A football match in the middle of no mans land!
Then back to carnage, back to death
The question. Why do we fight?
Answer?
Politicians start wars, and humanity pays the ultimate price
Their is no glamour in warfare, only pain and suffering
No better for those who survived
Just a thousand nightmares, and a sacrifice no man should endure
Losses that will never be replaced
Sins that will be judged by a higher power
So this is for you, Tommy, Frenchy, Jerry, for all.
Was it really worth it?
Whatever the opinion. I thank you for the sacrifice
Queen and country may have been the call
But more importantly freedom, to roam this Great British Empire
Many are lost, but your courage and will to succeed inspires
And your sacrifice for us means freedom?
FOREVER ENGLAND
"War Daze"
By M.R.H.
16/01/2013
