The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day, X 10 for November 7th bySekhmet Options

[Sekhmet]

The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day (1st revision)
Thanks Mary, Allan & Wally



Still they spawn those noble words;
those antique tales, that ancient story;
ringing out in Trojan ears; that
paean for death - or foreign glory.


'Here we stand!' - and - 'Here we fall!'
'They shall not pass !' 'The flag still waves!'
Democracy we'll give Iraq -
consigning thousands to their graves.

Loud, their pledge - 'We won't forget!'
Mouthed by men who never fought.
Heads held high, our young men march,
their youth and vigour brought to naught.

Still great men lay their poppy wreath; of
blood-soaked flowers, to hide beneath.





Still they spawn those noble words.
That antique tale ; that ancient story.
It rang out in the ears of Troy;
a peon to death - or foreign glory.


'Here we stand, and here we fall!'
'They shall not pass!' A flag to wave.
Freedom and peace we'll give Iraq;
yet send ten thousand to their grave.

And now, their pledge - 'We won't forget!'
Mouthed by men who never fought.
With heads held high, the young men go;
their youth and vigour brought to naught.


Still great men lay their poppy wreath,
with arrogance beyond belief.

10 Challenge Words used: Peace/freedom/noble/ grave/held/stand/wave/foreign/defend/glory

[Sekhmet]

I was moved to climb back onto my soapbox, by the sight of our Political Leaders - few if any of whom have seen active service, laying their poppy wreaths at the Cenotaph.
It is always the men and, yes, the women, who have never taken part in, nor even witnessed the terrible reality of all-out warfare; who put their signatures to the documents sending our young people to their deaths.
Then they mouth those trite phrases about, 'Our Heroes, who will Never be Forgotten'. I wonder if they could name ten of the hundreds of dead soldiers?
I would like to see a few of our Great Leaders spend some days on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan; let them walk the dust roads where the improvised explosive devices might, or might not be buried.
Then let them go home, and say that they have done everything they can.
Leo