Useless Hindsight

[drummondo]

I wrote this a while ago when I was just getting in to First World War literature. I just want to know whether people enjoy it or not

 

Useless Hindsight Scrawled Upon A Cross

 

In transformed fields, the wind still rustles trees

But carries with it sounds of pain in flight,

Infects young minds with dark, unknown disease,

Yet brings relative silence in the night.

 

Those still with sight see death wait patiently,

The lucky few with legs march through the mud,

The fortunately wounded think they're free,

Those faces still intact now caked with blood.

 

But freedom only visits upon a blackened bed,

And lets them roam in honour-bound manacles instead.

 

They'll have pride in graves, rather than engraved

In churned up ditches, nameless in their end,

With no more concealed fear, their glory saved,

Unfinished loyalty, their lives defend.

 

Whoever heard of the unknown father?

It's "Unknown Soldier" pasted on the stone,

His family still smiles at his ardour,

But suffering in rain, he died alone.

Edited February 24, 2005 by drummondo

[Peredhil]

I like it.

When I read it aloud, I keep wanting to have death waiting patiently.