Trench Life

Trench Life

 

The beating of their hearts

Like thunder sounded

Muted though still loud

Like sixty thousand drums

All beating

Neath those sixty thousand

Khaki blouses ...

 

Loud enough to drown out

Cussing and the fretting

Plus the retching and the

Heaving

Not to mention all the heavy

Breathing

There was an awful lot of that

 

Let none of us forget tho’

The sound of mouthed

And whispered prayers

The snap of fixing bayonets

Oh’ and yes

Those bloody goddam shells

 

Then comes a burst or two of

Machine spat sound and light

Both deafeningly loud and

Oh’ so blindingly bright

Through razor-wire and flesh

They cut 

On what should surely

Just have been another

Quiet, still and starless night ...

 

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

my friend an I used to sit on the little hill behind the A&P and wait for the
bread man to come in his big truck...we would chat with him and he would give us donuts.
We sat and chatted deep into the starlit night.
Worlds away from the World wars...when the nights like that were severely interrupted
by gunfire...and those trenches the only cover to help survive.
War gets so close...too close.
j.

[Neville]

.......... its a funny old dangerous old world out there for sure.. and sadly, it seems that power has a tendency to corrupt .. not all of course, but far too many .... seriously wish we had a breadman like that jacob... we just had the bailiffs call regularly ... thanks my friend for the vissit and share .... seriously appreciated.

N.

[Chris Shaw]

You get under the skin of soldiers in those appalling conditions in trench warfare. This poem brought me sound. I heard those bayonets at the ready, heard the pounding of hearts, the retching, the heaving and the heavy breathing while the stars hid from fear of what they might see. A descriptive and totally realistic portrayal.

Chris

[Neville]

many thanks for the thumbs up Chris ..
I have always had the idea I may have been there in a previous life ................... Neville :)

[Chris Shaw]

Well you never know do you. I have similar about our own civil war. I am terrified of swords and knives because I am convinced I died a violent death as a civilian. The sound of steel makes me shudder and I can't watch any battle scenes involving blades.

Chris

[Neville]

............... I have similar dislike of blades

[Chris Shaw]

.............more common ground :)

[Neville]

..................... I'm just very common :)

[Chris Shaw]

.... I'm just very grounded :)

[Neville]

............... shame that, I like to fly :)

[Chris Shaw]

..................:)

[Fay Slimm]

Your words paint the scene with vivid details and remember those souls who took part we all must - - freedom was what they all fought for and where we wonder is that freedom today............. thanking you most sincerely for a very relatable read mon ami.

[Neville]

most kind & truly so you are my friend ...

[Lorry]

We do owe so much to those who fought for our freedoms to have an opinion and not to be quashed under a dictatorship of fear, something some world leaders should do well to remember, that they fought so we wouldn't have to, that tyranny always fails, no matter how long it takes and that we have freedoms they could only dream of.
But what of our covid plight, I hear you ask. Well, you would think a five year war with millions on each front dying would be the dark spot in their memoirs, but no. First World War, 1914-18...1918...spaniish flu killed 50 million out of a world population of 1.8m...thats like 200 million dying today!
And did they buckle? Did they flip! Even on our worst covid days, we have known only a tiny fraction of their loss and pain.
We should never forget mate. If it weren't for them, I would sound even more hilarious talking German in a Scottish accent, and we know how hilarious we all sound trying to make the good English we be talking for to 😊

[Neville]

well I am just bloomin glad you are still on my side .. maybe .. cheers Loz n truly :)