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Thousands answered Lord Kitcheners call to arms in the first world war,

Conditions were atrocious and many welcomed death to escape the living hell.

The Call To Arms

Lord Kitchener sent out the call to arms
In England boys and men heeded the call
Women took over the factories and farms
Before the armistice thousands would fall.

Big guns like thunder all day and all night
Daily we witnessed severe waste of life
Fatigue and hunger, we still had to fight
I thought of home often and my dear wife.

The big battle came and the whistle blew
We charged the enemy, they opened fire
Death was coming and many of us knew
I saw many comrades face down in mire.

Fatally wounded on the ground I fell
But happy I was on leaving this hell.




Written on 19th July 2018.

For your finest sonnet contest sponsored by Mark Massey.
Judged 8.8.2018

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Curtis Moorman Date: 8/26/2018 6:27:00 PM Tom, you said it wonderfully well, and our mutual friend, Timothy McGuire, is right on target with his comments --- as he always is. Two great minds on the same page Tom and Tim --- it doesn't get any better. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 8/26/2018 7:25:00 PM Thanks Curtis, I'm honoured to have two of soup's finest write a comment indeed. In sunny Florida at the moment so haven't been able to get on much. Hope you're well. Tom

Timothy Mcguire Date: 8/13/2018 10:34:00 PM Read the lyrics of the song "Ireland" by Garth Brooks. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 8/14/2018 7:28:00 AM I certainly will.

Timothy Mcguire Date: 8/13/2018 10:30:00 PM Wonderful Poem. A FAV for me. Makes me think of "In Flanders Fields" Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 8/14/2018 7:27:00 AM Thank you very much Timothy.

Andrea Dietrich Date: 7/26/2018 6:29:00 PM That is a really good choice for a best sonnet. I hope you make the winner list, Tom. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/26/2018 9:49:00 PM Thank You Andrea. Tom

Roy Pett Date: 7/25/2018 5:37:00 PM Excellent sonnet Tom, it’s impossible to imagine what those brave men and women went through, we should never forget. Well written. :)) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/25/2018 6:27:00 PM Thank you Roy, all wars are horrific but WW1 must have been one of the worst, conditions in the trenches were atrocious. Tom

Arturo Michael Date: 7/23/2018 1:32:00 PM Herbert wasn't easy... Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, a lot of people died...A survivor's poem...All the best Tom Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/23/2018 1:58:00 PM Thank you Arturo, It's nothing like Hollywood shows it at all, that's for sure. Tom

Richard Lamoureux Date: 7/23/2018 9:26:00 AM An unimaginably difficult time for those poor young people. Well expressed Tom. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/23/2018 1:55:00 PM Thank you Richard, it was the done thing in those days to answer the call to arms and frowned on if anyone didn't sign up. Terrible loss of lives. Tom

Winged Warrior Date: 7/23/2018 9:21:00 AM A call to sonnet arms...well executed my friend...war is true hell!...^WW^ Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/23/2018 1:52:00 PM Thanks WW, nothing glorious about it at all. Tom

Viv Wigley Date: 7/22/2018 1:23:00 AM Fine piece, Tom. I have toured the battlefields of the Somme, and the mass graveyards bear testament to the futility of it all. Going back there next year. Regards, Viv Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/22/2018 2:01:00 AM Thank you Viv, have only seen pictures of the graves, rows upon rows of white markers , such a waste of life. Tom

Chuck Melugin Date: 7/21/2018 5:44:00 PM Tom, you awesomely described the dread and the utter exhaustion of hand to hand combat! Written as if you were participating! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/22/2018 1:59:00 AM Thank you Chuck, thankfully I haven't but can only imagine the horrors those men had to endure Tom

Jan Allison Date: 7/21/2018 1:30:00 PM a fabulous sonnet on the futility of war Tom, :-( hugs jan xx Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/21/2018 3:46:00 PM Thank you very much Jan. Such a tragic waste of life on both sides, one of the worst wars this century. Tom

Nette Onclaud Date: 7/20/2018 5:03:00 PM tom, this forceful poem reflects the inanity of war yet we seem to court it, if only to flaunt power... brilliantly depicted...huggs Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/21/2018 2:08:00 AM Thank you nette, for hundreds of years mankind has engaged in war but it never solves anything. Tom

Lyric Man Date: 7/20/2018 8:00:00 AM War is hell and you depict that well.. your sad sonnet tugs at me long after the read, thank you Tom! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/20/2018 8:54:00 AM Thanks Dave, it annoys me how it's glorified and there's nothing glorious about it, any vet will tell you that. Tom

Anne-Lise Andresen Date: 7/20/2018 6:56:00 AM - War is contempt for human life ... no one wins ... a great poem, Tom - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/20/2018 8:52:00 AM Indeed it is makes short term gains but a long term mess.thank you. Tom

Charles Messina Date: 7/20/2018 6:14:00 AM So many wars, so many waste of beautiful lives. The word war should be deleted from every dictionary in every language...lovely, but sad write Tom...Blessings my friend...Charlie Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/20/2018 6:49:00 AM Thank you Charlie, I couldn't agree more, our politicians' have a lot to answer for, they get it wrong so they send in the troops but its never a happy ending and so many innocent civilians get caught up in to too. Tom

Janice Canerdy Date: 7/19/2018 7:53:00 PM Excellent sonnet conveying the horrors and sadness of war, Tom! Janice Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 8:49:00 PM Thank you Janice, ww1 really strikes me as being one of the worst. Tom

Heidi Sands Date: 7/19/2018 4:56:00 PM Well written Tom with significant impact ! :) Bless you Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 8:46:00 PM Thank you very much Heidi. Tom

Harry Horsman Date: 7/19/2018 3:50:00 PM Wow, Such power in your poetry, Tom. one to emulate the grotesque scene, of those turbulent times. Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 8:45:00 PM Of all the wars in recent times ww1 must be the most horrific thank you. Tom

Ilene Bauer Date: 7/19/2018 3:14:00 PM beautifully written and perfectly rhymed, tom! a wonderful poem... Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 8:43:00 PM Thank you ilene Tom

Silent One Date: 7/19/2018 9:39:00 AM A dark insight into the realities of war.. there has not been a third world war, but many have tried it... war never really solves anything, because people never forget... Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 10:55:00 AM Thanks SO, you're right, look at both gulf wars and the mess it created, mankind never learns and crazy politicians' don't help either. Tom

Demetrios Trifiatis Date: 7/19/2018 7:41:00 AM I have met people who fought in the first WW and the second WW and people that have fought in Korea and Vietnam and elsewhere, always the same story: After a little while you pray more to die than to live! Why do we fight? Why don't we learn my friend, Tome? Great tribute to those who have fought and fell! A great truth! Login to Reply Tom Cunningham Date: 7/19/2018 9:25:00 AM Thank you Demetrios, ww2 was the war to end all wars, sadly that has not been the case. Our great leaders have a lot to answer for. Many have blood on their hands. Tom