FORGOTTEN ROSE

by N.X.Berryman
An army here entrenched,
Its soldiers thoroughly drenched.
What was dirt, now is mud.
What was live, now is blood.
Wire, here and there,
And corpses, everywhere.
A field full of mud,
Yet still there's room for blood.
Across the field you see,
That evil enemy.
Over the top you go,
The bullets to and fro.
unning for your life,
with a rifle and a !nife.
Atop the hill, a nest "
#o time to ta!e a rest.
A sudden bang " the nest is gone.
Almost there, you struggle on.
When you're there, it's plain to see
The pain and death and misery.
All that death and blood and pain "
All for what$ Ten metres' gain$
You hit the ground, remove your mas!,
eaching for a water flas!.
A shouted warning comes,
as mustard fills your lungs.
The warning was too late,
Your mouth and nose a gate.
Above, the battle rages on,
#o one sees that you are gone.
%or you are &ust another man,
#o one there to hold your hand.
Your side is pressed into the mud,
'own your chee!, a tear of blood.
Your lungs " they feel as though on fire,
Then numb " a feeling you admire,
As yellow death comes in,
You start to see the fin.
Your life begins to close,
(i!e a dead, forgotten rose.
REMEMBRANCE
by N.X.Berryman
The petals, red as blood,
The centre, dar! as mud.
The eyes, bright and clear,
The eyes that dropped that tear.
The war, long ago,
The bullets, to and fro.
The men who lost their lives,
Their guns, tipped with !nives.
The guns that let loose shells,
Years later, remembrance bells.
The soldiers, young of age,
A dugout, li!e a cage.
The blood)red poppy field,
'ar! memories it does yield.
The petals, red as blood,
The centre, dar! as mud.