Spion the Beauty Betwixt the Travesty Kop

Context, Boer War , South Africa The Battle for Spion Kop Slag van Spioenkop Ladysmith , Natal 23 January 1900 British forces under the command Sir Redvers Buller Dug in to take the higher ground on Spion Kop In order to engage the Boer army encircling below Lead by General Louis Botha The rest is written down in history, folklore and infamy And a famous football club's stand named after it Dedicated to it's fallen 2nd Battalion Lancashire Fusseliers 243 Dead 1250 Casualties I write this only because, i myself visited this hilltop graveyard paid homage and knelt before it's unkept memorial upon it And instead of feeling what i thought i should be the travesty, horror and utter futility of war And whilst leaving took 1 final glance over my shoulder at the vista and panorama only to be over come by the sheer unadulterated serenity and beauty And i left perversely thinking what a beautiful place to die Death has a hell of a lot to live up too