Poem ~ The Dead Stand Up - Friday, 30 October 1914

On the 29^th day of battle Lieutenant

T.H. Watson explains to a lady friend,

That rather than a battle, they are

Almost taking part in a campaign.

The 2^nd Worcestershire Regiment

Began their part on 13 September

And remained in the front line,

For a total of eight days, then moved

Away to rest – they found shelter

Out on a farm until they were shelled.

Lieutenant Watson described,

How he then lived as a nomad.

Staying in one village during the day

To spend the night in another village,

Until finally they returned to the front.

The Guards Brigade, with the artillery

And his Worcestershire Regiment,

Captured eight guns – who had lost

Some 500 men within the woods –

One enemy gun suddenly stopped

Firing - later they found that a shell,

Had ripped off the gunners head.

The following day rained heavy

As heavy – they found a barn

Half full of straw, open on all sides,

In which they buried themselves.

Lieutenant Watson on waking

The next morning found a heavy

Quarter master-sergeant,

Pinned on him, so he could not

Move - still soaked on waking,

The rain was then joined by wind.

Remaining there until the evening,

They moved to the German positions

Encountering a patrol where three

Men Were hit – they found the field

Covered with Germans, dead, dying

And wounded – they came to a trench

Where 30 Germans stood, their rifles

On the parapet, but all were dead.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Battle Stories – Standing Upright, but Dead. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 Oct. p.3. Col.6. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11186087/Daily-Telegraph-October-30-1914.html [Accessed: 30 October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 October 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11186087/Daily-Telegraph-October-30-1914.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ What Price Peace? - Monday, 14 September 1914

An American address to the German Kaiser,

Considers the risk of peace coming too early,

Before the crushing of that militaristic state.

For over forty years German militarism,

Has been a threat to the civilised world.

Germany has developed her industries

With borrowed capital, using own resources,

To build a monster of a military machine –

Whose desires are to rule across the world.

The Kaiser has blatantly taught his people,

To dream, think, write and prepare for war. 

All nations might consider themselves,

As possible victim of Germanic ambition.

Even the United States, has twice been

On the edge of hostilities with Germany.

The Monroe Doctrine of USA foreign policy,

In opposing influence of powers outside

The America’s, seems to be a scrap of paper,

To be torn up by imperialist Teutonic warlord.

Just one word from the Kaiser himself,

Would have mediated any Austro-Serbian

Conflict - but saying nothing put the world

Into war -To talk of peace would rest on -

What terms? To be little more than a truce?

A scrap of paper on which German Autocracy,

At any time the Kaiser might wish to violate.

Militarism would hang over all nations still -

War would begin again after five or ten years,

Upon gaining new resources for a new war.

In the 'Court of Cannon' The Kaiser submitted

Issues that cannot be withdrawn – the result,

Written in iron and blood – Europe, Germany,

Or their people, cannot be free until that very

Monster of Militarism is completely destroyed.

A Comparison made to the American

Civil War - says peace, is no more possible,

And has to be more than ‘paper peace’ –

The American view calls for Emancipation,

And proclamation to break the shackles,

Of military autocracy - any sacrifice of blood,

And suffering will be in vain, without

Beginning a new freedom in the world.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. 'Court of Cannon’ – America’s reply to Kaiser Wilhelm. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 14 Sept. p.7. Col.7. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11077879/Daily-Telegraph-September-14-1914.html [Accessed: 14 September 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 14 September 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11077879/Daily-Telegraph-September-14-1914.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #ww1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered