The Flag bearer and The Bagpipe

The drum is beating.  
The war has been dragging on.  
And the men are tired and broken.

Take Aim  yelled the officer 

Take  aim  echoed the men

Fire 

Bullets are flying 

The smoke from the barrels screens the land.

As muskets crack and fire. 

 

Volleys after volleys are returned back and forth

Men are having their life stolen from them

As they fall onto the earth

Their blood watering the grass 

Even the reaper is pitying the souls he has to gather

For he has had his fill of his cursed work.

 

Many will be forever haunted from the Melodie’s of war

The hissing of bombs,

 The shattering of shrapnel,

 The booming of the cannon,

 The cracking of the rifle

The screams of the dying

The orchestra that Lucifer has created

 

 Breece the country of the free

Is fighting desperately against the Empire

To keep their people free

To hold onto their way of life

 

For this is the poem told of Breece and her freedom 

And the boy who waved her flag.

 

O’ Father. O’Father 

I must go join

I must do my part

To fight for Breece!

 

You are only but a boy!

How can a boy stand against an Empire?

I have seen war!

I know how terrible her song is.

That is something no man should ever desire

We are at loss against the Empire.

For one does  not know the devastation of the cannon

For it tears a man apart.

Ripping him limb from limb.

 

For the father began to shake uncontrollably.

As the memories of war plagued his mind

Tormenting and holding him bind.

 

Thus your life would be cast aside

And cease to live 

As to many who perish in war.

 

O’father 

 

Silence thyself child of mine

For war is not easily understood 

 It is not so easily won.

 

How does one sit still as if nothing is happening?

In such of sadness and anguish

For the Empire moves as such aruthless Dragon

With such burning malice.

 

O’son O’son 

What of it?! 

What are you to do a young boy

A child cannot change the course of war

Nor can a child change the world.

 

For the father wept aloud

And body trembled with sadness

For sorrow had consumed his heart

It flooded his mind.

 

The father could bare no longer his suffering

Yet, was able to destain from his frighten shakes

Though grief now entered and settled.

 

Do you think one does not weep for the hell brought upon us?

That I do not pray for our God to save us?

God has no part in our troubles 

For the dragon has won.

 

You stand wrong.

The people of Breece will not lie in wait.

We shall forever keep our heads held high.

We will never surrender, nor lay down our will.

For the honor of Breece is as strong as the oak tree.

 

Even the oak tree burns in fires 

What honor is there?

Is there honor in dying?

O’son O’son

can you answer me

 

I would rather draw my last breath freely

Than to suffer the oppression of the Empire!

 

For you are too young of child to understand 

One does not understand war until he lives it

Then will never be able to forget her song

 

A son does not know how to handle a father suffering

Leaving him conflicted

He had never seen the father in sorrow

As if he had the tragedy of his past painted 

To be seen in his eyes

 

But amidst from his home the battle began

And war had ended on his doorstep

He could hear her song 

He could see her chaos 

 

Her Orchestra was of a hellish tune.

It was the devil's favorite. 

He delighted in her melodies.

He delighted in her beauty.

 

The Empires cannons shook the world 

Its sound echoed as thunder in a storm.

Tearing earth apart 

 

It frightened the animals the boy had raise and loved

For they did not know of war and her melody.

The farm animals could never understand 

 Why humans play her song so eagerly 

 

The boy could see the scared and young running from her. 

Women and children escaping her clutches

Leaving their villages and seeking a sense of safety

Many of their husbands, fathers, brothers stayed to fight 

For it was honor and duty that kept them there

 

Naive courage took hold of the boy’s heart

He grabbed his drums and made his lunge to be apart of this war

Spiriting towards the hell before him 

 

O Son O son

Do not go 

Please do not leave 

Please do not seek her 

You run foolishly to your death

 

Yet the father could not chase his son 

For he knew of wars melody 

Her hellish Orchestra tormented him 

His feet would not move

They refused to take action

His mind screaming at him to act

Yet he was too petrified to be commanded

And he watched powerless 

 

Falling to his knees in despair

Weeping for his son.

Clenching the poor earth 

Tears streamed and fell to the ground

For earth could taste his sorrow

She could taste everyone's sorrow

 

Lo the boy continued towards his mission

He did not know what awaited him

For fear and excitement were fighting in his mind

Determined to overcome one another.

 

The cracks of the rifles grew louder. 

The cannons roared in the distance

The screams of men fighting and dying 

How their screams reached heaven 

These were of Melodie’s of war 

 

The boy began to grasp 

The reality of what war could do 

With every step closer to battle

The more his body and mind wanted to run from it

To hide from war

To seek nothing further from her

 

The boy could feel the atmosphere

How tense it was 

The excitement

The fear 

He could sense the emotions in the air 

 

Many men the boy saw were deep in mourn

Some mourned the war

Some mourned the dead 

Many mourned for home

All were filled with dread 

 

Lo the boy continued 

 to be apart of this fight

Seeking the commander in charge 

Puffing the chest proudly 

Holding his head high

 

He wanted to be older 

To seem that he belonged 

 

Alas the captain was there 

A young man who was fair

Eyes blue like the sky

Tall and a natural leader 

For he was a respected man

 

O Captain O Captain 

Let me fight with thee

Let me play my drum

To encourage the hearts of thy

 

O foolish boy O foolish boy

You are too young 

 this is no place for thee

For the young have no part in this war

To be tainted by her 

Hold fast unto your innocence dear child

 

O Captain O Capitán

 I beg of thee 

Though I may be young 

I’m strong in the spirit

 

Let me lead with you

Allow me to inspire thy men

To be the heart of Breece

 

And the captain gazed upon the heavens 

O’Lord O’Lord

Forgive thy servant 

For I shall send your lamb to the slaughter 

 

Go forward, child and meet the man with the bagpipe.

Be with him

Inspire our soldiers. 

Give them courage 

Inflame their hearts 

 

Alas the boy meet the bagpipes-man

Standing proudly over a sea of soldiers 

Soldiers who had heard to much of War and her melodies 

 

Lo for he was of seasoned age

He had seen many births and many deaths 

For he was familiar with war and her song

Yet he moved to her tune now.

The waltz he had with war was a bitter dance.

 

For he destained and yet loved her.

Yet he could not escape her  

War stole his love.

War stole his happiness.

War stole his life. 

Replaced all with sad and hard memories.

Yet, it gave him purpose. 

 

The boy once blind to war began to see 

To see, hear , smell war

How awful she truly was.

He could see Lucifer’s mark on the land.

Oh how he grinned with sinister delight.

 

The naive courage the boy once had, 

soon was replaced with anxiety and fear

The thunder of cannons tour apart his moral

The screams of men begging for the reaper to spare them

As he brought down his scythe upon them

Haunted the boy.

 

The commander felt the presence of the battle.

Seeing how defeated his men truly felt.

It was a shared emotion amongst the men

He planted his feet firmly on the ground 

Chest lifted high

Proclaimed to his men.

Sharing them his strength 

 

O’men of Breece O’men of Breece 

Let us stand here today

As men who fought for freedom

For our children and our children’s children

So they may never have to taste oppression

Men here is our time

Right here 

Right now

Fight with me 

 

Thus the boy began to play his drum 

And the old bagpipes-man played along 

 As the music of Breece stirred the men’s hearts

Every bit of motivation and heroism played out 

As it woke up the hearts of the men. 

 

They took up their arms.

They pulled up one another

Raising their fist and shouted 

With passion and pride 

For Breece 

For Breece.

 

Their shouts echoed to the heavens.

It shook the army of the empire.

The heavens could hear the pride of Breece.

Angels began to shake their fist at Lucifer.

 

The captain roared out to his men.

Follow me brave men 

Follow me, men of Breece 

 

And the flag bearer waved his flag.

As the flag of Breece, gave spirit to the men.

The dolphin of Breece raised the morale of the men.

Standing for  everything the men were fighting for.

To be free like the dolphin

 

The soldiers of Breece.

Began their march with new founded courage

And sung out the song of their ancestors.

Their song echoed throughout the land.

As there fore fathers sung with them.

 

O’men of Breece

We fight with pride 

We lay our lives 

Down on the line 

O’ wife of mine 

Don’t cry for me 

Tell those we love 

That I died for thee 

 

O’ Men of Breece 

Come fight with me

Let us rewrite 

Our own destiny 

And though we may 

Be put to rest 

Please bury me

With my rifle on my chest

 

And the bagpipe lead the men 

His tune lead them in their hearts 

As it screamed with pride 

It screamed of honor 

For the men of Breece March beside her 

 

The drum keeping up with her

As his beats echoed 

And his tune carried

With every beat came courage 

With every beat came hope 

 

And thus, 

There was the enemy

There were the soldiers of the dragon.

Burning everything they could touch.

 

As the boy reached out to the top of the hill.

There he saw the carnage of the battle.

It stopped him in his movement.

His body disobeyed him

Refusing to move

His drum was lowered 

It ceased to make sound

 

Alo over the mountain the boy crossed

Witnessing the Devil's art.

He had never seen so much death

Death himself grew tired

The dead and dying covered the land 

 

Across the valley sat the enemy.

Holding their claim

Plotting their next move.

Scheming in their destruction.

 

The battle raged in front of him

As a hellish nightmare 

That seemed to have no end

 

Passing the boy 

Leading the men

The old man continued his courageous tune

Waking the boy from his fright.

 

Yet the cannon has no remorse on men

Shocking the brain

Breaking down the soldier

Destroying his will

 

Many of Breece were escaping the battle

Too many were shelled shocked

Too many were afraid of death 

They were running for their lives 

 

War has no mercy 

Many who ran from the battle perished

They perished in front of their brothers 

They perished with their backs turned

 

The boy saw how his country men had suffered

He saw the pain of war

Understanding his father

He was reliving the fathers hell

 

The hell the boys father lived

Day after day 

Week after week

 

The cannons roared 

The explosions threw the men around.

The agonizing screams of  men.

As flesh was being ripped apart. 

 

The young officer kept his march

Raising his sword

He did not let fear overcome

For he held back his true emotions

 

Forward O Men of Breece

Forward 

We march towards our destiny 

 

The men of Breece roared 

With heads held high

Shoulder to shoulder 

 

The men of the Empire began their volley

And the men of Breece return theirs

 

Both exchanging volley after volley.

Smoked screened the field.

Musket balls rained on one another. 

Blood water the hill.

And heaven watched as the battle raged on.

For the angels of heaven cried in despair

Watching as Lucifer had done his evil deed. 

 

Too many were dying

As the bullets whistled and shrilled 

They pierce the men on that field

For they did not care who they killed

 

Forward men Forward

For we are men of Breece

This is our land 

For Freedom

 For Freedom

 

Yet, the army of the dragon sent their tools of destruction

Cannons fired in the distance 

They shelled the men of Breece

What courage the men had 

Soon fled 

 

For a young leader will lead

He will raise his sword 

He will give the men courage

Yet, he was victim of war’s melody 

 

Alas a cannon had slain him

Such a hunter slays dove

As the dove falls from grace

So thus a young man fall to his grave 

 

In the midst of destruction it threw the boy

And he woke as his ears were ringing

Like a bell in a tower

His thoughts racing with questions of dread

He could only see red

 

The screams of dying pierce his mind

Men of Breece crying for mercy 

They begged to be spared

They fled to save themselves

The battle was lost

 

All hope was gone

And the boy defeated

Sat in realization of wars melody

He could hear his fathers weeping

 

But in the midst of his despair

And he looked to the heavens

Begging for an answer

 

O Father who art in heaven 

Is this what i'm doomed to live

Are we to perish in this field

O Father please help me

 

And the father answer him

In a quiet voice as such a whisper

O young boy O young child of mine 

Pick up the flag 

 

Amongst the dying 

Amongst the hell the boy was on 

Was the flag of the Dolphin

Tattered and torn

 

Pick up the flag

Pick up the flag

Pick up the flag 

The words of the holy father echoed 

The boys heart began to pound and race

 

His fingers grasping the flag 

Trembling with awe

Thus he hosted himself proudly 

Lifting thy flag high in the air

In the midst of the battle the dolphin flew

leaping in the air

 

And the men of Breece saw him there

Standing in awe at the young boy 

As cannons flew around him

As the fighting seem hopeless

As he glared down death to his face

 

There he was 

This young boy flying their flag

He did not run 

He did not falter

He stood like the oak in a storm  

 

No for he screamed out 

With his chest pressed high and his head facing the heavens

Screamed with all his passion

 with all his might 

With everything that he had 

 

O men of Breece O men of Breece 

Do not falter 

Do not retreat 

Have courage  

 

Stand with me in this time

For we are the men that stand for our freedom

For our people

For our land 

Let history remember us

 as those who stood before the dragon

For Breece

 

Charging thy enemy, taking the flag with him 

Thus the old bagpipes men following blaring his music

In defiance to thee enemy.

 

Thus the hearts of Breece returned

As new found courage sweeped their bodies

With fire in their hearts they made their heroic charge

Echoing the boy 

For Breece 

 

As they charged 

their brothers fell to the ground

As the enemy muskets stole their lives

The roar of the dragons cannons had no effect 

It did nothing to shatter their new found morale. 

 

The combat was fierce. 

Bayonets were fixed. 

Men met violently against one another.

As a wave crashes against the rocks during a storm.

 

The Dragon’s generals could not comprehend 

The battle they were witnessing ahead

They were losing the battle as ground was taken

A bunch of farmers and peasants had beaten their men

 

Their cannons were captured

Used to bombard their men

The dragon got the taste of war and her tune

Their men defeated 

Or had retreated 

 

The battle had been won

The men of Breece victorious.

The men of Breece cheered out in their victory.

Yet their victory did not come freely

 

Alas the boy who led the men

Who inflamed their hearts 

Lay dead

Though his death was not in vain

 

In the midst of dead and dying 

The boy held the flag 

Forever flying 

Between his arms the dolphin flew

Waving high  

 

The old man with the bagpipe stood near by

As tears streamed from his eyes.

Playing a the sad tune of his country 

 

The men of Breece once cheering wept.

They wept for their brothers.

They wept for the dead.

They wept for the young man who led 

 

Lo it should never be that the old outlive the young

Yet the old man with his last bit of strength 

Carried the young hero back to his home

His hand was dragging in the grass 

As his hand dragged flowers blossomed from his touch

 

As the men Breece followed 

Filled with sorrow and sadness 

They sung the song of Breece 

To honor the boy 

 

And The villagers heard the men of Breece 

Walking out of their shelter 

Seeing the men who had survived

They came back to welcome their heros

 

Yet they saw the boy

Who was being carried out by the old man

And the father saw his boy 

 

For no father should see his child without life 

And he cried out in pain

Rushing to his sons body 

Frantic and desperate to see his son 

 

My son my son 

O my son

Please come back to me sweet child 

Please come back my boy 

O my boy 

 

He was uncontrollable with agony and sorrow.

Sobbing and weeping for his lost son.

His only son. 

 

O sir O sir 

What happened to my son ?

What happened to my boy?

How did he die?

 

O good sir o good sir 

For a father should never see his son without life

For I share your pain

I have held my son

As I hold yours 

 

Yet, I can say with all the sorrow in my heart 

Your son was hero 

Who led us men

Though he was young he took up the flag

He waved high and encouraged our hearts 

He words touched our hearts as we were defeated

 

Though he perished the flag did not fall

He kept the flag high and tall 

For his body mounted the flag

The dolphin flew high

For your son died a man 

A man above all

 

The father Clenching the earth and hugging the boy 

Cried in agonizing pain.

For he did not know what his son was capable of. 

He did not know the heart of his son. 

 

For a father who lays his son to rest

Will forever be in pain

He will never get to embrace his son ever again

Or watch him grow old

Thus many fathers during war will bury their kin. 

 

But not many will get the opportunity to see their son change into a man. 

To see that their son was a hero who will be remembered.