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Thursday, April 04, 2013
The Parade Ground Beneath The Grass
Category: Poetry/LyricsThe Parade Ground Beneath The Grass.
(2012 after John McCrae)
(revised 22 August 2012)
(In honour of the fallen; that their sacrifice was not in vain)
‘cross the fields echoes, of pipes and of drums;
Rows of white crosses, ‘round the wind hums.
From the sky birds, see these markers of us;
Their songs once silenced, by pounding war’s fuss.
For we are no more; in life above ground.
Below where our bones, will forever be found.
Once marched we to tunes, ‘cross grassy fields;
But then were laid down, and our lives we did yield.
For we all did love, just like all of you;
But for many we saw, not the morn’s dew.
The sun was struck down, by smoke of the guns;
We now left lifeless, to our small sons.
We are yet still, but sleep we do not;
For we’ll not slumber, ‘till the final shot’s shot.
Look you for doves, in the night’s sky;
For then we will know, ‘twasn’t nought for to die.
To others we lose, our breath for peace’ sake;
Our swords and our shields, for them to up take.
Take pipes and drums; march ‘cross our pass.
For’er the Parade Ground, beneath the grass.
Notes: 1. Military Parade Grounds are sanctified places
which represent battle grounds and the resting
place of the fallen. They should not be defiled as
walking upon the graves of the dead.
2. Drill Manoeuvres used during Ceremonial Parades,
are those actually used in warfare many years ago;
when battle times and places were agreed by foes,
and the advance and attrition was conducted in an
‘honourable’ and ‘gentlemanly’ fashion.
Old Comments
War sucks in all its fashions.
It does! But…... I always look a things in more than straight black and white.Fact: there have always been, currently are, and more than likely always will be, wars of some type, somewhere.
The issue then becomes; is there any positives to come from what ‘sucks’? One to start; amazing leaps in medical knowledge and practice.
The motivation for ‘individuals’ participating in warlike activities varies considerably; but generally they are altruistic and/or in defence of fellow countrymen. And trust me when I say that those who are the stongest of mind that war ‘sucks’, are those who have participated.
War is part of the force of civilization.
War does indeed ‘suck’. I have known many who fought in Vietnam. I was in the army during the Vietnam Era, but I was never in Vietnam. However, I met many highly decorated war veterans who were, did not, and still do not favor war as a force for change. Politics causes wars. Apathy is the bane of politics. Voting is the main counterpoint to apathy.
During the American civil war, medicine made untold progress. In fact, amputation of limbs became the practice of the day. More recently, during the Middle Eastern conflicts of the last decade, medicine made great progress, namely with the invention of liquid field bandages etc. But sadly the horror of war continues.
Are you running for office? I could be persauded to vote for you. Image this: President Archangel
There is nothing at all good about war. It is a tool that governments use to frighten sheeple (citizens) into insisting that they maintain power for protection purposes.
It is not the same thing to be against war and to argue against someone who is simply defending themselves. If war in all of its forms ‘sucks’, does that mean you would not defend yourself against someone who is going to beat you up, or your wife against being raped. This is and never will be a black and white issue. Remember, some of the privileges you currntly enjoy, such as freedom of speech as you do on here, is resultant from someone’s decision to defend your country, against an aggressor. ie Japan. It is not a valid argument that the US of A may have been somewhat at fault for causing that conflict by restricting oil sales to Japan; the fact is Japan invaded the US of A by attacking Pearl Harbour. Should the response of the Government of the day have been to sit back and do nothing because ‘war sucks’?
President Archangel. Sounds good. I can’t run though as I am not an American citizen, and even if I were it still wouldn’t matter as I was not born on American Sovereign Soil. Some say Obama wasn’t. Funny that this was only raised between his first appointment and his running for office the second time around. How smart are those politicians really? America is not even truly a sovereign country when you think about it. It is really a big corporation on the brink of bankruptcy. The ‘sucking’ war in Afghanistan, is the largest outsourced and privatized war in history. Those companies are not nearing bankruptcy, the ‘Government’ is. And its colour doesn’t matter. That comparison about a war between Pepsi and Coke is the best Parable I have ever read.
I agree with your philosophy about wars deminizer, my point was; that given that they have, and will always exist, we may as well look for what good we can as a result of their existence. That is not the same as saying “let’s have a war to try things out” - and they happen as well - that is outright criminality.
In Australia our Vietnam Veterens had red paint thrown over them for having fought in Vietnam. Those Veterans were doing their job as dictated by the goverment of the day, and before saying they - the veterens - were acting immorally, many were conscripts.