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Quiet Fields of Ypres
QUIET FIELDS OF YPRES
by
JOHN M. ARRIBAS
These fields are quiet and silent there is little sound
Dandelions and wild flowers cover the ground
The grasses are tall and green. The soil is soft and damp
Stillness belies the sanctity of these fields.
Ten decades ago great acts of heroism happened here.
Men risked and sacrificed their lives to save a brother
While simultaneously killing and maiming each other
Grown men were reduced to tears each day
As their comrades were buried or carried away
No one won anything except a few trinkets and ribbons
Images in blood and gore that nauseate the senses
The newer generations have restored these fields
The trenches have been filled and barb wires removed
All those combatants are gone now but scars remain
What were they thinking, the whole world was insane
Thousands of widows and orphans were created here
The whole of Europe was living in constant fear
Families displaced, communities torn apart
Sickness and hunger were all part of the plot.
No man in the house for a generation.
To rebuild and restore the devastation
Men directing the war were awarded status and fame
While thousands of crosses were staked lacking a name
.
These fields have earned their silent serenity.
Paid for by those who hereon entered eternity
nunquam iterum
Copyright ©
John Arribas
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