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Forum Home » High Critique » The Meaning of War by Bob Atkinson

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7/22/2020 6:57:03 PM

Bob Atkinson
Posts: 294
Found “the Charge of the Light Brigade” lacking in detail and purpose,
so I re-wrote the story…...


The Meaning of War
by Bob Atkinson





sickness raged, sickness stayed
within armies of the land
tearing life from hearts of men
dressed as gentlemen, fancy caps


tokens of their own design
for which they gladly died
in strange lands for different reasons
religion, stupidity and pride


fare thee well those of Enniskillen
you bravely go to death
stories folded into time
with saber or with long lance


dragoons and horsemen, those of cannon
fighting for Victoria's figurehead
red and green and gray suit coats
flags waved upon pole staffs





Lord Raglan wanted victory
against Russia's southern march
opposed by those who held great pride
years ago, in Napoleon's rout




yet freedom didn't reign as thought
in his country of past conquest
where death, destruction, devastation
drooled from mouths of warrior men


Meshikov commanded opposition
some saw this as battle for
religion, that sweet jewel of man
which rots your teeth down to the core


displayed pride herein contained
pushing an empire on the run
beaten down by circumstance
and by the force of gun




when nations disagree
they struggle as if two men
black eyes become the dying
foes are made of friends

battles grind the souls of men
into that jellied mud thickly spread
pushing lives into the brink
taking the future from our children


this was one of many fights
in the Crimean war of shame
some won, some lost some came away
in agony and with pain

six hundred fought in this group
brave, though under fire
from all sides of a narrow valley
pushed to their death by pride


light cavalry, not a heavy force
no punch brought for to stay
just charge and find where the enemy
is strong and where they'll break


pride of country, pride of army
pride of the marching man
pride of soldiers astride their mounts
pride of wicked saints of sin


pride of those who gave bad orders
pride of those confused by orders unclear
pride of those who guessed where
to attack an enemy from the rear


fighting for those values all
so close held to their vest
mother, country, attitude
or orders from true gents


with unwillingness to divest
in barbaric travesty
or in destiny of purpose
whatever stood as consequence


minds made only to conquer
whatever lay in front
with guns of fire held in the hand
or saber thrusts at hearts


here in a land so far from home
must prove what could be done
with blazing cannon shooting down
those advancing or on the run


so, six hundred charged the valley
wrong valley here they went
under fire of cannon's thunder
fire from rifles aimed at chests


a brave thing to do
charge on orders given in the dark
a brave thing to do
give up your soul to ambitious tarts


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10/1/2021 7:20:04 PM

Bob Atkinson
Posts: 294
Two thirds of the deaths in this war of shame were for disease, not battle.

Russia didn't want Islam moving north, and the British and French stuck

their necks where they didn't belong. The fight was between Russia and

Turkey. Don't understand their thought process, unless it was that they

didn't want competition for the rape of the world's resources?
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12/18/2021 5:06:30 PM

Bob Atkinson
Posts: 294
Does this sound like we're about to repeat a mistake from the Past?
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2/16/2022 8:19:27 AM

Bob Atkinson
Posts: 294
Wasn't a concern of France and England to enter this war between Turkey and Russia. What business was it of theirs? Why are we about to make the same mistake? What business is it of ours?
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