They listened to the call for glory and honour
marched away with smiles on their faces,
found horror in mud and blood
found sacrifice in trenches:
. sacrificed youth
. sacrificed lungs
. sacrificed sleep
Returned without friends
who call through the years
echoing in the quavers of The Last Post
of glory wrapped in mud,
of honour paid in blood.
Shawn L. Bird 
A grand tribute! Well done!
Thanks, Daniel.
It’s time we stopped viewing wars as inevitable. War is big business and no valiant person should ever have to be sacrificed to it, period. I urge you to have a look at World Beyond War, a group working to that end. http://worldbeyondwar.org/executive-summary-global-security-system-alternative-war/
This is a backward reflection, not a forward one. Did you see inevitability in this post?
You might prefer this one: https://shawnbird.com/2013/11/10/remembrance-day-song-green-fields-of-france/
Wonderful salute to all Veterans everywhere! Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow Veterans.
Sp4 DeBorah Ann Palmer
United States Army, 1977 – 1981
569th PSC Augsburg, Germany
101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, KY
http://dancingpalmtrees.com/2015/11/08/veterans-day/
Thanks, Deb!
and for your service to your country.
The valour of all our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines can never be minimized.
So many young people, scarred in so many ways they didn’t anticipate, doing a job that was not what was expected.