Armed with bravado, holding back a tear,
I battle with my fear,
homeland so far away,
thoughts of home so dear.
The stars are clear, the moon so bright,
how I fear the coming fight in midst of darkest night.
I fear I will die of fright,
no promising end to my plight.
I look around and what do I see,
another page in wars bloody history,
a million soldiers just letters on a page.
I feel an overwhelming sadness.
I feel an overpowering rage.
Will I have the pleasure of another sunrise?
Will I see another day?
Is this just one act, or the ending of the play?
Caught between warring factions,
no way forward, no going back,
no escaping the final gunfire’s flash.
No escaping conflicts bloody scene,
like the hero in my dreams.
Mentally I turn my coat of many colours,
paint a warriors smile upon my face,
summon up my last dregs of courage,
make believe that I am brave.
Valour propels me forward
driven by need to breach the beach,
failure not an option I can face,
much less the thought of cowardly disgrace.
I combat all my dread of pain,
a cacophony of war cries rain,
gunning for the enemy,
shouts of fealty to the state.
Is it sheep I hear baa-ing on my beloved Ortago Trail?
No, just the foe, baying for blood today,
Is that the ripple of Milford Sound I hear on the breeze?
No, behind me, just the sound of sea.
Is that the patter of gentle rain?
“Not sure,” I feel I am insane.
Now, I can hear the sound of silence,
the fading lapping of the sea,
just one of many fallen on Gallipolis’s shore,
amidst men of many nations, an unknown warrior,
deprived of spring, I will age no more.
WHERE HAVE ALL THE SOLDIERS GONE?
LONG TIME PASSING.
WHERE HAVE ALL THE SOLDIERS GONE?
LONG TIME AGO.
GONE TO GRAVE YARDS EVERY ONE.
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
© Catherine Coward
