POETRY: Private Thoughts (King, Country and ‘Mam’)

By Rod Butterworth, Rochdale

War was declared and the call came
“Your country is in need of you NOW!’’
A thousand and then thousands more
Came forward shouting, “Yes here I am’’
“God Save the King’’,
And privately “I’ll look after Mam!”

Knowing nothing of the horrors to come.
It was adventure by another name,
To be made fighting men somehow,
A thousand and then thousands more
Of orders, of disciplines to obey,
“God save the King’’,
And privately “Don’t worry Mam, just pray!’’

As they marched to war in time to a drum.
Trenches, mud and hell, this was no game,
The enemy must be beaten was their vow,
A thousand and then thousands more
Lay dead or wounded, crying with pain,
“God save the King’’,
And privately “Dear mam, my love again!’’

As they stepped over the bodies of their chums.
These once were fields, like home, the same,
Churned up by tanks and land mines, not ploughs.
A thousand and then thousands more
Deafening noises of bullets, bombs and shells,
“God save the King’’,
And privately “Mam, I hope you are well?’’
“There’ll be no more wars when I get home!’