I Stood Remembering

They all went to war with their hearts so full of song,
Vowing to stand by their mates no matter how long.

They went with thoughts of making their mothers proud.
You did, they did, the poor youth under the shroud.

War is not pleasant, they had to sacrifice much,
Carrying on as their friends fell to death's cool clutch.

They fell in the fields of poppies we now wear
So we remember what happened over there.

Through the disaster some would see the long war through,
Courage was doing the things that they had to do.

They stood together protecting us from harm,
They would not desert a fellow man in arm.

This morning I stood watching the diggers march by,
I remembered the spirits of those that flew high.

They marched with their backs straight and carried salute,
Hands raised to honour those that died in their boots.

We raise these heroes high for their courage that day,
All the men who fought for our land so we could stay.

War is not pretty, but 'needs must' some will say,
If only peace could have come another way.

Peter Van Werkhoven (c) 2016