–
“Are you joining up, mate?”
“Why? It’s the Brit’s war”.
“Cause Aussies are part of the empire, ‘one for all’…you know the drill”.
–
Both young men soon in the trenches, barely eight meters from the enemy.
–
“Hasim, leave off the plowing, we all go to fight the British.”
“My wheat will not be planted in time for the rains.”
“Forget the planting…leave the plowing to the women. If you don’t go, the infidels will take your fields… Once more our country will be invaded.”
–
Both young men crawled into their trenches, pushing past bodies bobbing like apples in gore.
The slaughter was horrific. New men replaced dying men. Then, within hours, they too were dead.
The trenches filled with blood, guts, madness – a stinking circle of Hell serving all faiths, welcoming all comers. Plenty of seating.
The Aussie mates and the Turkish farm boys didn’t last the night. Their bodies, shoved aside by a seemingly endless supply, sank in the mud.
These were the “Founding myths” of nations, claimed with pride by politicians who never saw the muck or gave their lives in battle.
–
Beautiful Gallipoli.
Turkish soil and streams nourished by the mixed fruit of the dead.
To All Mothers: your children rest in the now gentle bosom of the land. They sleep as brothers. Your tears feed the oceans– forever.
–
Jane Kohut-Bartels
Copyright, 2007, 2012, 2013 and into the future as war doesn’t seem to quit.
Tags: All wars, dversepoets.com, Founding 'myths' of nations, Jane Kohut-Bartels, Memorial Day, the dead always the young, war
May 24, 2013 at 8:06 pm
This is so different from what I know from you. Well done–strong vibrant and heart felt soft imagery to butchering. Hats off.>KB
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May 24, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Hi KB…yep, it’s an earlier piece. And I think we all have different voices…or we develop them depending upon the topic.
Thank you so much for reading and your heartfelt comment!
Jane
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May 28, 2013 at 7:40 pm
Doesn’t bear thinking about, does it?
But we must, and own up how much we owe.
Every day of freedom bought so dearly.
Moving tribute to the unknowns.
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May 28, 2013 at 8:34 pm
Yep, Aprille…as they say….”Freedom isn’t free.”
Thank you for reading and your comment.
Jane
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May 28, 2013 at 9:19 pm
May we never take the cost of our freedom for granted. I really appreciate the challenge of this piece, Jane
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May 28, 2013 at 10:11 pm
the mixed fruit of the dead…how long will we send our children off to die? is there no other way forward? the politicians anger me in their carelessness at times…again is there no other way?
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May 28, 2013 at 10:11 pm
I agree, Tony, and thank you. Some don’t understand, but they are the ones who are renting their citizenship in my estimation.
Thank you for reading, Tony, and for your comment.
Jane
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May 28, 2013 at 10:20 pm
Brian, my only child is serving in the Navy. This is not only where I am alarmed by war, but it certainly heightens my concern and rage.
You have young sons, and what is the future for them? The politicians are removed (most of them) from war and its terrible consequences on families…they give ‘mouth’ to it all, but after all, war is a class issue also. I was married to a man whose parents were very rich. The whole neighborhood had many schemes to get their children (sons then..) out of the draft. My husband, too. Seeing this, it gave a different aspect as to who is cannon fodder and who is not. Quite a living lesson.
We have what? 200,000 service personel around the world? And we have so much need of these people home here….when disaster strikes, (Ok tornado, NJ hurricane, etc..) we depend on what? The charity of organizations set up like Red Cross, etc…and the charity of citizens, and our national guard. Better that these young people are here to attend to the wounded on our own soil than losing their own lives somewhere distant where some come home in boxes and some are ground into the dust.
there is only ‘no other way’ as long as we support that concept. We need to seriously do some thinking outside this box.
Jane
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May 29, 2013 at 1:04 am
So sad…so very sad… timing with Memorial Day is perfect though…
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May 29, 2013 at 2:26 am
Yes, I agree…so sad.
Thank you for reading and your comment.
Lady Nyo
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