The Soldiers of 1914

By threeleafshamrock

Wed, 15 Apr 2009
  • 3220 reads
14 comments
 

They marched, impossibly erect,
their knuckles white;
grasping Lee Enfield stocks.

Kisses blown, were captured and fed
to the hearts;
swelling adrenalin veins.

The glistening boots dazzling;
ricocheting beams,
into the thronging smiles.

What cared they, how far they strayed
from Tipperary,
for Belgium adventures.

Confidence exudes in their step;
cobblestone-sparking
hobnails eagerly depart.

The brave, the foolish and the
innocent;
head first into welcome battle.

How well - and just as well - it is,
we remember
their gay smiles and bright eyes.

The gallant young men of a
lost generation;
the soldiers of 1914

Certificate U
Poem
The Words of War
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
*History nerd runs in* Loved this Chris! Especially these stanzas; 'They marched, impossibly erect, their knuckles white; grasping Lee Enfield stocks.' and 'What cared they, how far they strayed from Tipperary, for Belgium adventures.' So sad but so true, they really had no idea of what was about to happen! 'Over by Christmas' always rings in my ears whenever I read poems on this subject! Excellent piece! Magic xxx

 

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Thanks Magic. I love reading about this time in our history; If I might make so bold as to recommend a book to you - 'The Long Way' by Sebastian Barry is a wonderful touching tale of this time and that war. (He also wrote 'The Secret Scriptures'- another beauty). Thanks for reading, I know you are a 'History Nerd'; delighted there are still a few around. ;) Chris XX

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Well - history nerd or not, this was great, Chris. Touching and expertly told. Much savoured. Tina xx

 

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
Thank you for the recommendations Chris, I'll look into it ;) Oh yes, there are a few of us around - though we generally don't let on to the fact we know quite a bit about stuff (you'd understand if you went to my school!) Magic xxx

 

Submitted by Dynamaso on
This is very timely, Chris, given the 25th of April is Anzac Day here in the antipodes. While I'm not a history buff, I do appreciate the extreme sacrifice many young men made during this time. You've done a great job with this one, imbuing it with the sense many had of this being a great adventure rather than a terrible, nasty world war.

 

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Thanks Tina, glad you liked. I love history but despair that though we look back at some of the horrors, we sometimes seem to have learned nothing. My dad used to say, 'A mistake can become an important lesson - but only if you are willing to learn from it.' Sadly, I don't think we have at times. Thanks for reading. Chris XX

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Magic, thanks again. I have a son who is just completing his first year in University. When he was in school, he was consistently top of his class. You can probably imagine - more than I - the kind of flak he received from some sections of his class mates. He managed to keep his head up and since starting University has excelled, partly due to the fact that he has discovered that his peers there suffered similar fate in school, came through and now revel in each others company and academic achievement. Don't let the begrudger detract from your enjoyment of knowledge. There are people out there who are just LONGING to know you and will be delighted to find that they were NOT some sort of freak/nerd because they also LOVED to learn. Here endeth the lecture for today, LOL.;)

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Thanks D. Australia gave thousands of young men to the 'cause' in 14-18. I remember particularly reading of the disastrous Gallipoli fiasco - there is a very popular song that you will hear in Irish pubs; 'And the band played Waltzing Matilda' written by Eric Bogle. You, no doubt, know it well. I also remember reading that the last survivor of the ANZAC forces at Gallipoli, died in 2002, aged 103. His name was Alec Campbell, who joined up at 16 years of age and was at Gallipoli in 1915. What horrors that young man must have witnessed at an age when he should have been in school. It is stories like his that help us to better understand - and why we shouldn't forget. Cheers mate!

Submitted by chuck on
Very, very nice shamrock. I'd also like to recommend Sebastian Faulks' ‘Birdsong’.

Submitted by bob_roberts on
Good work threeleaf!

Submitted by Dynamaso on
Chris, my wife used to work for a radio production company, who would put together special programs for radio networks. She was fortunate enough to meet and interview Alec Campbell a number of times. She said he was an amazing man who could captivate a crowded room with his stories, particularly of his ANZAC days. You are right about the Eric Bogle song: I know it well. It is a classic. I just wish more people understood the message behind it, that there are no winners in war.

 

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Thanks Chuck. You are right to recommend 'Birdsong'; a brilliant, poignant, must-read book of this era. Thanks bob, glad you liked. Thanks to you too D. Wow, I can only imagine what it was like to interview Alec Campbell. I'd say he had some stories alright. People interested should download the lyrics of that song; they are special.

Submitted by hilary west on
Liked this one too. Are you becoming the site's Wilfred Owen ?.

 

Submitted by threeleafshamrock on
Thanks Hillary; Wilfred Owen? Don't know about that but it has become a bit of an obsession ;) Love the writing of Owen and of course, that was first hand experience. Some of his stuff would bring a tear too the eye. I read a book called 'The Long Way' by Sebastian Barry (who also penned 'The Secret Scriptures') and that kind of got me in this vein. I think I might just move on now to something else for fear of boring the population LOL. Thanks for reading. ;)