Prisoner of War
By Caitlin Healy

Caged within the encircling wire
Heart mind and soul afire
Afire with longing for things of home
The glorious heaths once more to roam

Thoughts come springing from far away
Of loved ones kiss, of children’s play
Visions of comrades sharing the fight
Clothed in khaki a strange garb for a knight

Yet each one a crusader against power and lust
Till evil is humbled to the dust
Then free once more to roam

Through flowered fields to an English home
All heartbreak and sorrow past
Living in peace
Perfect at last

Soldiers Farewell
By Aimee Turner
I’ve saddled up, and dropped me hooch,
I’m going to take the gap,
My tour of Duty’s over mates,
And I won’t be coming back

I’m done with digging shell scrapes,
And laying out barbed wire,
I’m sick of setting claymore mines,
And coming under fire.

So no more fire support base,
And no more foot patrols,
And no more eating ration packs,
And sleepin’ in muddy holes.

I’ve fired my last machine gun,
And ambushed my last track,
I’m sick of all the army brass,
And I sure ain’t coming back.

I’ll hand my byonet to the clerk,
He ain’t seen one before,
And clean my rifle one more time,
And return it to the store.

Wartime Poem
Found by Michael Beagley

Looking Around
The battle scene was harsh
Bodies lay scattered on the ground
With the nauseating scent of blood
Surrounding me
I can hardly see
For smoke blinds my eyes
And as I look around, my heart sinks
And fills with sorrow
I want this battle to end
Noises of gunfire hurt my eardrums
Piercing and killing lives
The images of falling
Scar me for life
This is the place of death
And I try hard to keep hope.