Mark J. Halliday Poet Quatern

Notes About The Poem

I may be working at a WWII cemetery in Europe next year.  I've been to many US cemeteries in France and Belgium, including one in Normandy at Omaha Beach

Columns and Ranks

Columns and Ranks (20140925)

Standing straight in columns and ranks,
Heads newly shaved by the barber,
Carrying guns loaded with blanks:
New recruits after Pearl Harbor.

The Generals inspected troops,
Standing straight in columns and ranks;
Afterwards they broke into groups,
And marched towards the ships’ gangplanks.

They boarded ships with guns and tanks
To England, the Atlantic crossed.
Standing straight in columns and ranks,
They’d free Europe at any cost.

Allied troops endured dire losses;
Gaining a foothold up the banks.
Heroes sleep beneath the crosses
Standing straight in columns and ranks.

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Daver Austin November 10, 2015 at 12:43 PM The row upon row of grave markers is troubling indeed and too soon forgotten. Congrats. daver

A. Juman November 9, 2015 at 4:16 AM Excellent Mark---Wonderful, You do have a knock for writing keep it up. ----Please do check out mines and tell me what you think Mark J. Halliday November 9, 2015 at 9:36 AM Thanks A. Z. With Veterans' Day this week, it was a good time to relook at this one.

Connie Marcum Wong September 28, 2014 at 12:42 AM This is beautifully written Mark! it touched that poet's soul in me. Blessings, Connie Mark J. Halliday September 28, 2014 at 1:42 AM Check out my poem Rappellez-vous/Remember. Similar topic about the war cemeteries overseas.

Richard Nnoli September 26, 2014 at 2:38 PM all to fall like the end of a worthless game, i enjoyed nice poem richard. Mark J. Halliday September 28, 2014 at 1:42 AM Check out my poem Rappellez-vous/Remember. Similar topic about the war cemeteries overseas.