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Thursday, April 04, 2013

The Parade Ground Beneath The Grass

The 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.