Never Forget.
Let us remember
all imprisoned birds in order to sing
must visualize
winging to needed freedom of open
barred ease so with
calls to defend pointing at striplings
brought volunteered
smiles to the whining of mortar-flak.
Without prior warning
boy-choirs began welcome training
for foreign fields
and bellow refrains at shellfire noise
behind lines when
saddened eyes view evil happenings
hell-bent on
fright as sound blasts youthful minds.
Yet singing drifted to bleak horizons
with dauntless
defiance and when ducking shrapnel
lads\' song explosions
became ever louder to drown bedlam
of fear-drenched trenches
then sunk in the battle\'s louder intent.
Youth\'s face altered as reality\'s chaos
dented courage yet
held resistance to mortared rattle and
kept trust fresh
by lads\' attempts at more balladeering
which lent grit
while bulletfire rose until breath failed
and young songbirds
when in last thoughts of home-land at
some closing moment
let voices cease in throe\'s final breath.
Freedom\'s rally
over for such lads meant singing effort
forever was done.
Red as the poppy their sacrificed blood
left legible lessons
for all to remember and never forget.