With Sword and Lance and Bill

Come by the Sword, Die by the Sword

They stood in ranks a thousand long
High upon the hill
The Roman legion, fierce and strong
With sword and lance and bill

The Briton hoards below them stare
With wild fanatic eyes
They jeer the foe and beg them dare
With anger and despise

Come and fight you cowardly foe
Come and meet your fate
We’ll cut you down, row by row
Send you to heavens gate

With scoff and scorn the Romans yawn
What empty threats you speak
We’ll rip you limb from limb this morn
You’re scrawny, thin and weak

Down below, laughter roars
Your bellies, we will slice
We’ll lay you dead, in your scores
Come prove your men not mice

We will arrive and make you pay
For indolence and taunt
You will eat every word you say
When they come back to haunt

It’s easy up on high to gloat
But everybody knows
It’s our intent to cut each throat
And leave you for the crows

But when we make our move towards
There’ll be no shy nor rests
We’ll plunge our sharp and bloody swords
Deep in those ragbag chests

Think of your girlfriends, mothers, wives
For them there’ll be no gains
Will be, as we, cut short their lives
When we spill out your brains

For one last time you’ll see the sky
Cause you’re not leaving whole
When heathen head is raised up high
On legion victory pole

Gasp deep upon your final breath
Invader of our land
Your destiny this day is death
By rude and brutish hand

With sword and lance and bill
All break into their stride
With voices booming still 
Blood fills the wide divide
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,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
,         ,         ,         ,         ,
March forward to today
Though forces re-arranged
And ask them in what way
Anything has changed
Copyright © | Year Posted 2013

Poem

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Jones Avatar
February 11, 2016 at 8:40 PM
Wow Richard....cool...congratulations
A  Avatar
February 6, 2016 at 6:26 AM
RICHARD, Stopped by to congratulate you on your awesome poem. **SKAT**
A   Avatar
February 6, 2016 at 2:25 AM
Richard, Congratulations, on your win. I wonder if you remember this contest "Come by the sword, Die by the sword?" Nice to see you take one of the top spots in Royal's old contest. LINDA
Sietesantos Avatar
July 6, 2014 at 12:52 PM
Hi Richard, congratulations on your fine win! I enjoyed reading this well-penned write on the Roman Legion!
Eastman Avatar
July 3, 2014 at 5:04 PM
A TREMENDOUS write! And so very true... Congratulations on this fine win. It's going into my favorites...
Bordner Avatar
July 2, 2014 at 1:36 AM
I like how your poem revolves around the mental preperation of combat Richard. Warfare has always been in this plane, why should we expect, or wish it to cease, it never has. J.A.B.
Smith Avatar
July 1, 2014 at 6:41 AM
Ah! Wars fought for naught in the end! Congrats on a great win, Richard! Hugs.. Arlene
Manassian Avatar
June 30, 2014 at 10:33 PM
Congrats on your fine win with this superb piece, Mr Seal.
A   Avatar
June 30, 2014 at 10:30 PM
nice win...PD
Hendricks Avatar
July 21, 2013 at 12:01 PM
I'm not surprised you won a contest with this gem. An insightful write well-executed. Geez, I have to wonder how you managed to do this. Well done, my friend. Licia :-)
Hamilton Avatar
July 21, 2013 at 3:17 AM
Richard very powerful congrats on a fine win Shadow x smiles
Ryerson Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 3:07 AM
Richard - This sounds like something out of English history...It seems I remember a battle the British won despite being badly outnumbered...Regardless, this is a gripping story with a wise and insightful conclusion...Congratulations - Tim
Tams The Golden Girl Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 12:21 AM
Congratulations on your winning spot Richard xx
Seal Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 1:16 AM
Thank you Mandy, Hope your feeling better now.
Manassian Avatar
July 19, 2013 at 9:08 PM
This is an awesome piece and deserving a win! Congrats, my dear...Auntie is proud of her boy! What would I do if I couldn't tease ya!
Seal Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 1:15 AM
I'm sure you'd think of something Auntie lol, thanks for your congrats. Maybe one day I will do the same for you eh lol, just teasing
A  Avatar
July 19, 2013 at 9:01 PM
wow....... deep. CONGRATS <3 SKAT
Seal Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 1:12 AM
Thank you Skat, wows I like, deep, yes and that :)
A   Avatar
July 19, 2013 at 8:21 PM
Hello Richard, thank you for supporting my contest... CONGRATULATIONS.... :-) :-) :-) LINDA
Seal Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 1:10 AM
Thanks for the placing my Sweet Dark Friend I'm trying to enter a few more contests as time allows
Dietrich Avatar
May 11, 2013 at 12:14 AM
now that is a fitting ending. In what way has anything changed? Just like that song: when will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?(from "Where Have all the Flowers Gone?) I think you did an AWESOME job with this one, Richard. You really SHOWED the brutality of war with it.
Seal Avatar
July 20, 2013 at 1:07 AM
Don't know why I wasn't adding reply's to this,might have been before I got the hang of things, Yes at that song and sung by your very own namesake, Marlene Dietrich
Dietrich Avatar
May 11, 2013 at 12:14 AM
and how cool I found this one. Now maybe I have seen all your poems!!
A   Avatar
April 4, 2013 at 11:05 AM
he he he...making sure I have not missed any of your newest poem.. Not near the top yet... I'm wondering if this contest has been closed... always~ Linda
Sibanda Avatar
March 23, 2013 at 4:53 PM
Good construction, good choice of words, the result- a beauty!
Lamoureux Avatar
March 23, 2013 at 11:16 AM
reminds me of the poem The destruction of Senacarib (probably spelled wrong) This is both disturbing and powerful. Well done.
Andresen Avatar
March 23, 2013 at 7:33 AM
- I would say : WOOOOOW I also ......! :) - WELL DONE!!!!! - Wishing you a lovely weekend in the sunshine. - oxox / / Anne-Lise :)
Carrillo Avatar
March 22, 2013 at 12:09 PM
WOW! This is Amazing. They come at their own risk. Thanks for sharing this. I think you already won with this one......Lucilla
A   Avatar
March 20, 2013 at 9:00 PM
wow Richard, your poem is one of the best ones I've read today.. good expression....Linda
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