Young Lions (Poetry)
24th June 2011
Like young lions they were — posturing
roaring at the night — extravagantly brave
their vision of the world still uncorrupted —
the bugles called — they rallied — news from France was grave.
Fresh khaki — buttons polished — boys at heart
with dreams of castles — battles fairly fought —
and death was glorious in all the stories —
a noble thing of legends — so they thought.
Like young lions they were — valiant
believing in the mission — the great lie
the order came and with it the reality —
the chances were that most would fall — and die.
They weren’t prepared for slaughter — the
plain fact that heroes died as other men —
no difference — the freezing miles of mud
swallowed — disillusioned all of them.
Like young lions scarred — displaced in mind and body
shell-shocked from the truth’s too-bloody game
a few limped home and found their pride diminished —
the vision lost — their world forever changed.
roaring at the night — extravagantly brave
their vision of the world still uncorrupted —
the bugles called — they rallied — news from France was grave.
Fresh khaki — buttons polished — boys at heart
with dreams of castles — battles fairly fought —
and death was glorious in all the stories —
a noble thing of legends — so they thought.
Like young lions they were — valiant
believing in the mission — the great lie
the order came and with it the reality —
the chances were that most would fall — and die.
They weren’t prepared for slaughter — the
plain fact that heroes died as other men —
no difference — the freezing miles of mud
swallowed — disillusioned all of them.
Like young lions scarred — displaced in mind and body
shell-shocked from the truth’s too-bloody game
a few limped home and found their pride diminished —
the vision lost — their world forever changed.