Today’s poem

THEY SAID WE’D BE HOME BY CHRISTMAS

They said we’d be home by Christmas, How could we have been so daft? Believing the lies that they told us How the generals must have laughed. Recruiting stations all over the place In every village and town, Kitchener saying our country needs us — How could we let our country down? In 1914 a million men Volunteered to sign up and fight For love of their King and their country Lord Kitchener said it was right. We were trained how to fire a rifle, How to dodge a bullet or shell, Told we’d go into battle and kill all the Huns, No one said we were going to hell. They said we’d be home by Christmas But as soon as we landed in France We realised we might never go home; We never stood much of a chance. They never mentioned the trenches Filled with mud from the constant rain Or the rats running over the dying And the screams of the wounded in pain. The whizz bang, bullets and pounding of guns, The whistle going over the top, The choking and blinding mustard gas And no one could make it stop. Back to our trenches, relieved we’d survived, There was still no peace of mind, All we could think of was those who had died Or we’d had to leave behind. A man screamed for his mother, We all began to cry, He was trapped deep in barbed wire, We prayed for him to die. For some the horror proved too much, Their minds just couldn’t take it, They walked away, not knowing where, We knew they’d never make it. They brought them back to face their fate Then sentenced them to die, Shot like dogs by a firing squad Not knowing the reason why. We’ve come back home, but things have changed, So many broken or maimed. No one cares if they live or die, The generals should be ashamed. We were lions led by donkeys, Seven hundred thousand died, But no one wants to aid or help The brave ones who survived.