When death is closer than home..."It's a long way to Tipperary"

Each knew his fate... With the 11th of the 11th looming time to give this oldie an airing

"Its a long way to Tipperary..."

A single voice the silence pierced
to drift through cordite air,
to rise above the clouds of death
forlorn, tinged with despair.

"Its a long way to go..."

Along the trench more voices joined
a choir now on death row,
ironic that they sang of home
for their fate they all did know.

"Its a long way to Tipperary..."

Across the mire where no man lived
o'er blood and stench and gore,
their song fell onto enemy
and through each heart it tore.

"to the sweetest girl I know..."

They'd be no winners in this war
only those that better fared,
a whole generations blooming youth
wars horror brutally pared.

"goodbye Piccadily..."

The brave who sang that fateful day
brothers, fathers, uncles, sons,
would perish going "over the top"
Scythed down by chattering guns.

"Farewell Leicester square..."

Now fields abloom with blood red flowers
blue skies, and larks on high,
remember the wanton sacrifice
of those that came to fight and die.

"Its a long, long, way to Tipperary,
but my heart's right there"

Reviews

[Neville]

Excellent and not only that, this is perhaps one of the most ragged and real attempts at depicting the innocence and futility of war I have stumbled across in some time and by St' George, what a war that was

[Gee]

Cheers Neville,appreciate your kind words

[Neville]

and truly meant.............N

[Samuel Dickens]

Touching and really well done. I was a kid when I met the only WWI vet I've ever known. As I recall, that war was supposed to be the big one, the war to end all wars. What is it with us humans? What's wrong with us?

[Gee]

If we didn't learn from that war then there really is no hope.Thanks Samuel

[Robert Parlange]

Beautifully done. Describes the folly of war in a unique style.
It reminds me of a TV movie called “My Son Jack.” It tells of Kipling's only son and his death in WWI.
Your poem tells a good “story.”

[Gee]

Thank you Robert

[Philip Muls]

Describes the horrors of war while contrasting with the cheerful song. Well done.

[Gee]

Thank you Philip.....

[Lydia Shutter]

It's wonderful how you injected the lyrics of the song between your stanzas. They might have been singing as they went to war, but they were not going to a dance, were they? Nope, no winners in wars. Young lives ended far too soon and young minds changed forevermore from the horrors they see. Powerfully emotive write. Lydi**

[Gee]

Thanks Lydia for your kind words

[andrew mitchell]

Brilliant write Gee What horrors must they have witnessed so young.

[Gee]

Doesn't bear thinking about.Cheers mate

[Valentine]

My husband's 2nd cousin was the Sgt. Alvin C. York the WW1 movie was made about. He got to see him in the hospital when he was a kid before Sgt. York passed away. Valentine

[Gee]

The family must have been very proud.Thanks Kathie

[ANTO]

The image of that single trembling voice rising to a defiant chorus of doomed youth is brilliant Gee.
I can see/feel/hear the ghosts of the men in the fields of poppies towards the end and you close this so very poignantly with the final couplet. A masterful, moving piece of poetry if ever there was one and timely too.

[Gee]

Cheers mate,great review and comments.

[ANTO]

Good morning matey. My pleasure. This hit a few resonant chords with me because I belonged to a back n white minstrel troupe as a bairn and 'Tipperary was always the finishing number' and my fav poets are the WW I war poets, Sassoon and Owen. I hope you have a great day Gee.


Hey, what about that Japan team eh? Let's see of it was a fluke today...

[ANTO]

*black n white minstrel troupe I meant

[Gee]

You too my friend

[Terry O'Leary]

Excellent poem in every way... rhyme, flow, originality and most importantly, sentiment!

[Gee]

Cheers Terry,thanks fir your kind words

[A.marie.speaks]

i thought this was lovely and heart wrenching. very well written.

[Gee]

Thank you kindly