THE NEW BATTALION (WITH SONG LYRICS AT END)
They were over a thousand strong as they marched pastProud as prude could ever be so proud
Most barely in their teens - a few - not in their teens - they'd
Lied about their ages - the recruiting sergeant - gave 'em
The wink - and they were in - in the army! They like the others
Took the Kings shilling
Some were older - should of know better - they dyed away
Their gray hairs dyed - to look younger - yes lied about their age as well
Band lead them through the city - town -towards train station
Both sides of the root - were sweet harts - wife's with children
Parents - mum and dad - dads dead proud of sons - mums tearful
Single girls - giggling - making promises of what awaits the boys when
They returned home from The War
As they marched - they passed their places of work - and play - rugby - football
Cricket pitch's - past pitcher houses showing Charley Chaplin latest flick - past pubs
Past the park - ducks in the pond - past their places of work
Offices - banks - factory's - shops - coalmines - fields - harbors - sea front
All singing:
''It's a Long way to Tipperary '' - at full throttle!
Before they boarded the train - they formed a half circle in front a raised platform
Stood
On it were the great and the good - local M P - Mayor - concealers - most of the machers had not voted for or against - as they had NO vote to cast! NO rights to vote - ironic as you will read - shortly!
Of course the the religions - well represented on the platform
All made rousing speeches - they were marching in God's name - against the Godless - beastly Hun!
For King and country - for all that we hold dear - democracy - the irony!
All the marches gave three mighty cheers - then all of the marching men
Boarded the train - wife's - mothers - sisters - the intended future wife's
Held hands through the open windows - tears of the woman folk - ran down cheeks
Train whistle blew - the engine took up the strain - steam - let free
Come the wars end barely fifty - returned - some with out a limb - arm - legs - no legs - blind - deaf - dumb - no faces - no tong - some had lost their mind
Some looked all right - appearances can be deceptive
None talk of the glory of war - never ever talk of The War!
Models meant nowt - one through his medals in to the sea - one was awarded
A Victoria Cross sold it - to feed his wife and kids - so much for a land fit for -
Came back to no marching band - no one making tub thumping speeches
No members of the clergy - quoting scriptures - glory to God - King and empire
Most now saw THAT as should be said to many Dead Men's Pennys - paid out
To many Telegrams - delved town - city - village emptied of - men
One survivor of that march - who was Irish - who'd had taken to drink -
Before the raising of the battalion old pady had been a leadibg light of the local
Temperance society - back in 1914
When some askde him - what had happened - take a swig from the bottle
'' I'll tell he - then - he'd start singing this song - end up dancing a jig - while sang his song:
'' Hanging On The Old Barbed Wire ''
Then old Paddy - leave the pub - dance his jig down the street
He'd be found sat beside the grave of his best pal - who'd come back to die
From the gas - he'd killde him self - the gas had to much - inhalant
HEROES - to come back to say - ''up their arces! '' as one so eloquently expressed
Three killed them selfs - one hung for murder - some took to drink - robbery -Three did - that I know of - just none the same as like - on That March!
*(BASED ON AN OLD SOLDIERS SONG SUNG DURING WW1:
If your looking for the old battalion
I know where they lay
I know where they lay
They all lay - all lay
Laying in graves
In France - in France
In ranks - side by side
As like on parade
Go - see them
Go - see them
Listen to their silence
Listen to their silence
*Please look on YouTube fore: Hanging On The Old Barbwire
ken d williams
The Dyslexic Wordsmith
Poetry by ken d williams
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Written on 2015-11-12 at 21:02
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