We United From Afar

We lived for years,

Under much bigger forces.

And then,

The Archduke was proclaimed dead.

This was our chance.

One we would not waste.

We answered the call to war under many banners.

Some of us fought for the Kaiser.

Some of us fought for the Emperor.

Some of us fought for the Tsar.

And some of us for the French.

All was in the hope,

That one side would vanquish the other.

And create a free Poland out of the chaos once more.

Once more free,

Like the eagle on our flag.

Once more,

Under our own flag.

Our White and Red.

Not anyone elses.

Many of us fell,

While trying to vanquish each other.

Many times it would be a Pole against another.

Like a family conflict,

That spiraled out of control.

We did not fight for honour.

We fought to ensure our future,

Would be secure.

We fought on our own soil,

Even killing one another on it.

And not knowing.

There was no time to stop.

There was no time to realise,

That this was happening.

4 years of suffering,

4 years of sacrifice.

4 years of war.

All to conclude in my nation being free once more.

And in the end of it all,

Every Pole who still lived,

No matter who he served,

Came back to his land.

And would celebrate and mourn simultaneously,

As we all,

United From Afar.