One hundred years ago - <br />Mistrust and suspicion between nations - <br />Our respective governments decided - <br />They all had to be tough - stand up and fight - <br />To make a stand - nobody insulted us - <br />Our national pride - had to be defended - <br />At all costs. The politicians went to war - <br />By sittting behind desks while fast bullets flew. <br /> <br />Lord Kitchener pointed from billboards - <br />'Your King and Country needs you! ' he barked. <br />A neatly pressed uniform and trimmed moustache - <br />He was a man you could trust - a veteran - <br />Of wars against spear-throwing tribes. <br />But I suppose they needed educated - <br />In this superior English way of life. <br /> <br />The young man - the lion - knee deep - <br />In a Paschendale quagmire. <br />He was stood up - like lines of tin cans on a wall - <br />Just to be knocked down. <br />Glory be, to die for King and Country. <br />General Haig - the donkey - <br />Sitting safe and sound behind battle lines - called <br />'Oh poor chap, now give me a few thousand more - <br />And we may gain a few dozen yards of Belgian mud.' <br /> <br />Millions - <br />Of working class young men - <br />British, French, Russian, Austrian, Italian, German, <br />American, Belgian, Hungarian - too many nations to list - <br />Sentenced to death - <br />By shelling each other. <br /> <br />Yet I doubt they really hated each other. <br />In their respective countries - <br />They shared the same dreams - the same plight. <br />The treadmill of their daily grind - to save a few shillings - <br />To pay for a few of life's simple treats. <br />Torn from the prime of life - <br />Misused and abused- <br />To defend their politicans honour. <br /> <br />One hundred years on - <br />What have we learned?<br /><br />bryan wallace<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/wwi-centenary/
