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Why do you still march old man?
With your medals on your chest
Why do you still grieve old man?
For those friends you laid to rest
Why do your eyes gleam old man
When you hear those bugles blow
Tell me why you cry old man
For those days so long ago.
I'll tell you why I march, young man
With these medals on my chest
I'll tell you why I grieve young man
For those friends I laid to rest
Through misty folds of gossamer silk
Come visions of distant times
When boys of very tender age
Marched forth to distant climes
So young they were... with blossom cheeks
Their eyes shone bright and clear
Scant knowledge of this sinful! World
Thought nought of hate or fear
Their laughter rang through strange bare rooms
Hardships.. They were soon to know
All they knew, was beyond their shores
Was a deadly vicious foe
They left behind their families,
They had nothing much to give
And they laid their lives upon the line
So you... young man... would live
With bayonet... Gun... ,and knuckle bare,
The innocence of their youth
They stood alone with fearsome pride
And perceived the awful truth
The truth they learnt… they had to die
(It’s not easy when you’re young)
The gods of war had chosen them
And stilled their youthful tongues
Rifles cracked, and steel drew blood,
shells tore flesh asunder ,
I smelled their blood,
Iwatched them die
The devil claimed his plunder,
And as these warrior gods looked down,
they smelled the stench of death
Gone were their apple blossom cheeks
Scorched by napalm burning breath
We buried them in a blanket shroud
Their bodies scorched and blackened,
In Shallow graves, all newly gouged
In the bloodstained gorse and bracken
So Ill tell you why I march… young man
I march to remind you all
That without those men who gave their lives
Youd have no freedom at all.
FOR THE FALLEN.
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
We must NEVER forget.
With your medals on your chest
Why do you still grieve old man?
For those friends you laid to rest
Why do your eyes gleam old man
When you hear those bugles blow
Tell me why you cry old man
For those days so long ago.
I'll tell you why I march, young man
With these medals on my chest
I'll tell you why I grieve young man
For those friends I laid to rest
Through misty folds of gossamer silk
Come visions of distant times
When boys of very tender age
Marched forth to distant climes
So young they were... with blossom cheeks
Their eyes shone bright and clear
Scant knowledge of this sinful! World
Thought nought of hate or fear
Their laughter rang through strange bare rooms
Hardships.. They were soon to know
All they knew, was beyond their shores
Was a deadly vicious foe
They left behind their families,
They had nothing much to give
And they laid their lives upon the line
So you... young man... would live
With bayonet... Gun... ,and knuckle bare,
The innocence of their youth
They stood alone with fearsome pride
And perceived the awful truth
The truth they learnt… they had to die
(It’s not easy when you’re young)
The gods of war had chosen them
And stilled their youthful tongues
Rifles cracked, and steel drew blood,
shells tore flesh asunder ,
I smelled their blood,
Iwatched them die
The devil claimed his plunder,
And as these warrior gods looked down,
they smelled the stench of death
Gone were their apple blossom cheeks
Scorched by napalm burning breath
We buried them in a blanket shroud
Their bodies scorched and blackened,
In Shallow graves, all newly gouged
In the bloodstained gorse and bracken
So Ill tell you why I march… young man
I march to remind you all
That without those men who gave their lives
Youd have no freedom at all.
FOR THE FALLEN.
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.
Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;
As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.
We must NEVER forget.
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