by Jim Hanafan
US
With a soft whoosh
And explosive crump
The mortars land
With steady thump
Through our barrage
Our side advances
Heads kept low
Take no chances
To hold the ground
Is their intent
We decimate
With rounds well spent
Oh vicious tube
Oh heavy base
Making mincemeat of
The human race
Them
Into the maw
We gladly crawl
Where Tom once was
He is no more
We sit amidst
The blood & gore
That once was human
And that’s for sure
In this hole
Blown in the ground
Will fall no more
Deaths deadly round
It’s said that mortars
Like lightning fact
Do not the same place
Twice impact
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ABOUT THE POET ~
Ex Soldier living in North Herts, writing poetry for a hobby, working hard for a living, in order to understand the poetry, understand the poet first., The British Army is famous throughout the world for its professionalism when it comes to soldiering. Foremost in the Confines of that wonderful organization is the Infantry, the Soldiers who are more likely that any other to face the Enemy in combat, and be called upon to kill or be killed., Infantry Soldiers are a breed apart from the rest of the Army, from their first day within the organization they are taught that they are the best, that their Regiment is the best, that they now belong to an exclusive club, a veritable Band of Brothers., My own journey into this world was achieved as a result of a stubborn streak, whatever I was told to do I would do the opposite., Although I never shone at school, it did infuse me with a love of the written word, particularly poems by the so called “War Poets” when I realised that these people were telling a story in the best way they could to make themselves & their situation understood., As they say in bad movies ”read 'em & weep”.
Last updated May 14, 2017