The Great War

The Great War He pointed at us from a posters paint Washed away the thoughts of truth Many sick things in those days of death Feathers for those who did not go A bullet for those that became sick in war A wandering crowd in killing fields Oh for those Daffodils to cheer the way Places lived that the rats avoided A stench that purveyed the scenes Those of muddy walls that gave death No bouquets of flowers just a whiff of gas A friend mangled and left to die just there I would gladly forget, but can only recall his stare A strange look of peace in those blooded eyes As if he had found his family there in that hole Forgive me brother I did not know That as the battle raged we lost you so Then to know that I may have stood on your pyre Made my memory so sharp without fear I tremble now to know these things This only happened at a later time When the fields re-grew over battles time Where flowers of blood have taken your place You have now only a carved stone obelisk In our village that I think of as our families home Know that it has been near fifty years Since you left, now they made pastures new You would think that they would hear you cry No more wars where all the young men die If only, if only, this were true.