Saturday 29 October 2016

Just For A Moment (Written by my mum)

Choked by the smoke
That covers the dead,
He clawed his way out of a trench,
And just for a moment
He looked ahead
With his fists tightly clenched.
Grinding his teeth, his rounded eyes
Followed his wandering mind,
And just for a moment I heard him cry,
'Can't you see, can't you see I am blind?'
And carved on his headstone,
A well versed caption,
It clearly reads -
'This soldier died in action.'

Drowned in the dirt
That buries the dead,
Determined to be man.
For just a moment
He charged ahead
Waving a gun in his hand.
Gritting his teeth, a fervid frown
Shooting across his face,
And at that moment before he went down,
He cried, 'I have won! I have won the bloody race!'
And carved on his headstone
Where many have cried,
It clearly reads -
'As a hero he died.'

Taunted by the filth
Decomposing the dead
Shattered shell-shocked nerves,
Just for a moment
He turned his head
Against all he had sworn to serve.
His chattering teeth, tasting tears,
Shivering through his bones,
And just for a moment his eighteen years
Were reduced to a cry, 'Take me home'.
And carved on his headstone,
Weathered and worn,
We cowardly mutter -
'This boy was shot at dawn.'

Rhiannon Fox

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