Best Somme Poems
Over the top lads, for old Blighty! Hold the colours high!
Say a little prayer for me, for this summer day we die.
My brothers from the ripened field and blackened mill, shop floor,
Your brother in a killing field to fight a rich man’s war.
In bloodied mud and shattered wood, fight legions of the brave,
Unwitting youth, you’ll do your duty until you’re in the grave.
A sergeant greets a fresh-faced boy, “welcome to the slaughter!”
Here you die from three diseases, bullet, gas or mortar.
In arms we fight together and in leaden hails we pass,
We die amongst the filth and stench that once was verdant grass.
“In the morning we will remember them” we hear the leaders call,
Those fickle words of history, will not remember us all.
The Somme, that's where true heroes fell.
No future now war is the thief.
Their sacrifice they gave in hell,
As wounded comrades stories tell.
Of those brave Pals, their war so brief.
The Somme that's where true heroes fell.
A beating drum, a screaming shell,
The blast of guns beyond belief,
Their sacrifice they gave in hell.
More gallant men, their tolling bell
Fills kith and kin, their fears with grief.
The Somme, that's where true heroes fell,
It's stench a putrid acrid smell.
Last rites were said, death gives relief.
Their sacrifice they gave in hell.
The fallen will forever dwell,
In poppy fields they lie,beneath
The Somme, that's where true heroes fell.
In Heaven now.- Released from Hell.
World War 1. The Somme France. July 1st. to November 18th. 1916.
War and Heroism
2/ 23/ 2015.
Waving poppies, ruffled by the summer breeze, look up
At the deep sky and warm sun, pillows of clouds gentle
Contrast to the green below and the scattered red faces
With soul black eyes. Children’s voices ring like distant bells,
The sounds of happiness and the pleasures of life, undisturbed
By thoughts of harm.
But the flowers of the forest have no arching sky above
Only cold shadows and pools of dark water, with wriggling
Worms the only life. No laughing children lift the heart
And bring a happy smile, the distant bells a sombre cadence
That tolls for thee. No bright poppies shine in this decaying
World, only their soul black eyes.
And the lone piper plays his sad lament for
The Flowers of the Forest.
The thunderous skies now capitulate to man, witnessing their tirade of wrath
Who would have thought nature now bowed, whilst viewing man's path
What man could imagine, beating a power like she
When I look back at the template I wrote
This wasn't meant to be
Inspired by reading a posting on Facebook by 'Janette Fisher'
In the Somme there was ever only one,
After we walked slowly in vain solidarity,
So to engage with the enemy in a song,
‘Cos for us they had a shocking enmity,
From that point on there was just one,
For we each had to act in determination,
As if we were each the only one’s able,
To defeat the advancing German nation.
I mean, we all knew we were alongside,
Others, our brothers who could fully kill,
But our initial mistake of missing the tide,
When we did not obliterate that Nazi will.
Set us back so much that we did bend,
Endangered the war’s course hopeful,
Put at stake the lives of every one friend,
To rid every fighter of a pride boastful.
The Nazi’s were still ready to eradicate,
Our muscles, minds and hearts of stealth,
No matter how many guns did articulate,
Their noxious spirit and bloody mind health.
But we carved out our presence and right,
Lit our light there in the Somme’s trenches,
When we blew out each Nazi in our fight,
For freedom and life in the Western reaches.
It was each one soldier who won there,
In the Somme, so vital for the direction,
Of that Great War, when all who did care,
Were on the edge for democratisation.
Look at Tommy go
Watch him fall in neat khaki rows
Bravely led
Tommy bravely bled
20,000 went over the top
20,000 lay dead
Join up and enlist Kitchener said, the Army will be such fun
For King and country, make your mother proud son.
However life at the minute, it ain't that good
I've stood on a mine, losing lots of blood.
I've pins and needles now, feeling rather faint
I need urgent help or my prospects ain't exactly great.
help arriving now, trying to stop the bloody flow
off to the field hospital now; lets Go Go Go!
Fly me home please into the arms of my lover
if I'm back at home I know that I'll recover.
Time for me to leave now, time to say goodbye
homeward bound tomorrow it's time for me to fly.
My comrades aren't so lucky, tomorrow they're going 'over the top'
they won't be able to turn back, they won't be able to stop.
I may now only have one leg, but I'm the lucky one
tomorrow I won't be staring down the barrel of a gun.