Mark J. Halliday Poet Quatern

Notes About The Poem

This was an intermingling of two poems I wrote last year: Columns And Ranks (which was specifically about D-Day in World War II), and Fog Of War (which was about war in general and not ever really know what you'll confront in battle).  For the Intermingling contest sponsored by Craig Cornish.

Columns and Ranks, Fog of War Intermingled

Standing straight in columns and ranks, 
Heads newly shaved by the barber, 
Carrying guns loaded with blanks: 
New recruits after Pearl Harbor. 
     (Our foes wait in their well-defended lair,)
The Generals inspected troops, 
     (Imagining that they’ll stay safe and warm.) 
Standing straight in columns and ranks; 
Afterwards they broke into groups, 
     (All my soldiers ready their arms to bear.)
And marched towards the ships’ gangplanks. 
     (Bugles sound: Battalions! Companies! Form!)
They boarded ships with guns and tanks 
To England, the Atlantic crossed. 
     (Our siege cannons thunder; smoke mists the air.)
Standing straight in columns and ranks, 
     (While thinking of barricades each must storm,) 
They’d free Europe at any cost. 
     (Once over the walls, we’ll know what’s in store.) 
Allied troops endured dire losses; 
     (It’s hard to see through misty fogs of war.)
Gaining a foothold up the banks. 
Heroes sleep beneath the crosses 
Standing straight in columns and ranks.



Columns and Ranks (Quatern 9-25-2014)
Fog of War (Ottava Rima 8-19-2014)
by Mark Halliday / WarriorPoet

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Poet Destroyer A April 26, 2015 at 5:54 PM :)

Poet Destroyer A April 18, 2015 at 6:42 PM Mark, Congratulations on your fine win. LINDA Mark J. Halliday April 20, 2015 at 11:41 AM Thanks Linda. I thought those two went well together.

Eve Roper April 17, 2015 at 1:12 PM Congratulations on your win a 7. Blessings dear friend Eve Mark J. Halliday April 20, 2015 at 11:40 AM Thanks for commenting Eve. I thought those two went well together.

Jan Allison April 16, 2015 at 4:46 PM Brilliant marriage of two poems - congrats on your win:-) Hugs jan xx Mark J. Halliday April 17, 2015 at 12:33 AM Thanks Jan. I had forgotten about that contest.

Njeri Hunjeri February 25, 2015 at 4:34 PM Well mingled! Wish you the best in the contest. Mark J. Halliday February 27, 2015 at 10:37 AM I thought about using Colors instead of Fog Of War, but Colors is also a quatern and it would have sounded really akward. Thanks for commenting.

Peter Lewis Holmes February 25, 2015 at 4:24 PM Nice realist flavour..thanks for this Mark...Peter Mark J. Halliday February 27, 2015 at 10:37 AM I thought about using Colors instead of Fog Of War, but Colors is also a quatern and it would have sounded really awkward. Thanks for commenting.