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Anti-war poetry from local poet Jason Lee
A Soldier's Lament © 1915 Jason Lee
My love I stand in soldier's clothes
With rain running through my toes
With rain running through my toes
Sounds of bombs ring out like bells
Boming out from the gates of hell
Boming out from the gates of hell
Shells are bursting like my heart
With thoughts of you we'll never part
With thoughts of you we'll never part
I long to hold you like a child
Your skin so soft your beauty wild
Your skin so soft your beauty wild
Lips like rubies fill my dreams
Drowning all the soldiers' screams
Drowning all the soldiers' screams
Night like death darkens my soul
Like rats we run into the hole
Like rats we run into the hole
The dirt and stench; the fear that grows
Cannot erase our love my rose
Cannot erase our love my rose
My comrades move like shadows free
Until they fall invisibly
Until they fall invisibly
My love I write with bullets flying
Remember me not dead or dying
Remember me not dead or dying
A Widow's Lament © 1915 Jason Lee
My true love has gone
A hundred miles or more
He's learning to kill
In a game they call war
A hundred miles or more
He's learning to kill
In a game they call war
He's strong and he's handsome
Young and he's brave
But now he sends others
Into their graves
Young and he's brave
But now he sends others
Into their graves
My heart is as heavy
As the cannons that fire
That disturb my dreams
As I sleep by the fire
As the cannons that fire
That disturb my dreams
As I sleep by the fire
In a year we will wed
Down the aisle we'll glide
If God keeps his promise
And the snipers subside
Down the aisle we'll glide
If God keeps his promise
And the snipers subside
The letters that come
Fill me with love
But all I can see are
Words written in blood
Fill me with love
But all I can see are
Words written in blood
I wait for the day
When my love returns
But the soldiers are falling
And they never learn
When my love returns
But the soldiers are falling
And they never learn
My true love's been gone
For six months or more
And I fear the next letter
That troubles my door
For six months or more
And I fear the next letter
That troubles my door
Peace at last © February 2004 Jason Lee
Peace at last
Has finally come
The final soldier
Fires his gun
Has finally come
The final soldier
Fires his gun
No more letters
To be read
Honouring the
Fallen dead
To be read
Honouring the
Fallen dead
Planes that flew
Now are still
Guns no longer
Aimed to kill
Now are still
Guns no longer
Aimed to kill
No more medals
For the brave
In uniform and
In their graves
For the brave
In uniform and
In their graves
Bombs no longer
Fall from skies
Birds now fly
Free and wise
Fall from skies
Birds now fly
Free and wise
Barren trenches
Overgrown where
Seeds of death
Were sadly sown
Overgrown where
Seeds of death
Were sadly sown
Peace at last
A short retreat
From mankind's
Path to defeat
A short retreat
From mankind's
Path to defeat
Join the army © February 2004 Jason Lee
Join the army
Be a man
With a rifle
In your hand
Be a man
With a rifle
In your hand
Join the army
See the world
With your bloody
Flag unfurled
See the world
With your bloody
Flag unfurled
Join the army
Learn a trade
Throwing knives
and hand grenades
Learn a trade
Throwing knives
and hand grenades
Join the army
Earn your pay
Bombing children
Far away
Earn your pay
Bombing children
Far away
Join the army
For prestige
Get a medal
When you leave
For prestige
Get a medal
When you leave
Join the army
Make them proud
As you shoot
Into the crowd
Make them proud
As you shoot
Into the crowd
Join the army
Be the best
At murder; rape
And cowardice
Be the best
At murder; rape
And cowardice
Who cares? © January 2004 Jason Lee
Who cares for the child
Sleeping alone
A rag for a blanket
A pillow of stone
Sleeping alone
A rag for a blanket
A pillow of stone
Who cares for the mother
Shaking with fear
Her family gone and
Her enemies near
Shaking with fear
Her family gone and
Her enemies near
Who cares for the girl
In a blood spotted dress
Dreaming of love in
A dead wilderness
In a blood spotted dress
Dreaming of love in
A dead wilderness
Who cares for the father
Angry and afraid
Surveying the damage
America made
Angry and afraid
Surveying the damage
America made
Who cares in a world
Where killings admired
Only a few of us
Broken and tired
Where killings admired
Only a few of us
Broken and tired
Another Year; Another War © January 2004 Jason Lee
Another year another war
A mothers tears hit the floor
A mothers tears hit the floor
Another gun aimed to fire
At bodies twisted on the wire
At bodies twisted on the wire
Another child weeps alone
Sat outside a burning home
Sat outside a burning home
Another dollar freshly made
To fund this montrous masquerade
To fund this montrous masquerade
Another soldier keen and proud
Is soon in pieces on the ground
Is soon in pieces on the ground
Another way to kill and maim
The villagers who pay in vain
The villagers who pay in vain
Another year funding hate
Another church bell rings too late
Another church bell rings too late