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With Sword and Lance and Bill

With Sword and Lance and Bill

They stood in ranks a thousand long
High upon the hill
The Roman legion, fierce and strong
With sword and lance and bill

The Briton hoards below them stare
With wild fanatic eyes
They jeer the foe and beg them dare
With anger and despise

Come and fight you cowardly foe
Come and meet your fate
We’ll cut you down, row by row
Send you to heavens gate

With scoff and scorn the Romans yawn
What empty threats you speak
We’ll rip you limb from limb this morn
You’re scrawny, thin and weak

Down below, laughter roars
Your bellies, we will slice
We’ll lay you dead, in your scores
Come prove your men not mice

We will arrive and make you pay
For indolence and taunt
You will eat every word you say
When they come back to haunt

It’s easy up on high to gloat
But everybody knows
It’s our intent to cut each throat
And leave you for the crows

But when we make our move towards
There’ll be no shy nor rests
We’ll plunge our sharp and bloody swords
Deep in those ragbag chests

Think of your girlfriends, mothers, wives
For them there’ll be no gains
Will be, as we, cut short their lives
When we spill out your brains

For one last time you’ll see the sky
Cause you’re not leaving whole
When heathen head is raised up high
On legion victory pole

Gasp deep upon your final breath
Invader of our land
Your destiny this day is death
By rude and brutish hand

With sword and lance and bill
All break into their stride
With voices booming still 
Blood fills the wide divide
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
March forward to today
Though forces re-arranged
And ask them in what way
Anything has changed




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  1. Date: 5/11/2013 12:14:00 AM

    now that is a fitting ending. In what way has anything changed? Just like that song: when will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?(from "Where Have all the Flowers Gone?) I think you did an AWESOME job with this one, Richard. You really SHOWED the brutality of war with it.

  1. Date: 5/11/2013 12:14:00 AM

    and how cool I found this one. Now maybe I have seen all your poems!!

  1. Date: 4/4/2013 11:05:00 AM

    he he he...making sure I have not missed any of your newest poem.. Not near the top yet... I'm wondering if this contest has been closed... always~ Linda

  1. Date: 3/23/2013 4:53:00 PM

    Good construction, good choice of words, the result- a beauty!

  1. Date: 3/23/2013 11:16:00 AM

    reminds me of the poem The destruction of Senacarib (probably spelled wrong) This is both disturbing and powerful. Well done.

  1. Date: 3/23/2013 7:33:00 AM

    - I would say : WOOOOOW I also ......! :) - WELL DONE!!!!! - Wishing you a lovely weekend in the sunshine. - oxox / / Anne-Lise :)

  1. Date: 3/22/2013 12:09:00 PM

    WOW! This is Amazing. They come at their own risk. Thanks for sharing this. I think you already won with this one......Lucilla

  1. Date: 3/20/2013 9:00:00 PM

    wow Richard, your poem is one of the best ones I've read today.. good expression....Linda

  1. Date: 3/20/2013 8:28:00 PM

    Wow! This takes me by surprise, I didn't expect a poem like this. I love how it goes back and forth, between each "side" and I love the ending, "march forward" Amazing job on this Richard.