_{First of all Iwould like to apologise for the length of this entry, in print it runs to over 30 pages so I understand if you don't want to read it. I've only been able to post the first part herebut if people want to read the rest I can publish it in parts I guess. I confess that the poems I have posted here so far are older poems. I wanted to get a feel for the material on the site and build a few relationships with other poets before sharing my magnificent octopus.} 

 

I do not know the method of drawing up an indictment against an whole people.

(Edmund Burke ��" 1729-1797, author of Reflections on the Revolution in France)

 

Dramatis Personae

 

CLOVERLEAF a soldier

STRONGARM a soldier

WAR

NARRATOR

VOICE

 

Act 1

The stage is bare and the lights are up. A member of the audience gets up and stands on the stage. They should be dressed in a style slightly out of time or place. As they speak the lights should lower until the theatre is in darkness.

NARRATOR:        Through the rain’s curtain a shadow I could see

                            A black coated figure all huddled in misery

    And as I drew closer her face I did notice

    All drawn with the sadness and pain in her heart

 

   Her eyes, like the sky, had known beauty in summer

   But now they seemed grey and were filled up with clouds

   The dim sunlight glistened upon the wet gravestones

   The rain smeared the makeup which ran down her face

 

   She told me a tale that was joyful and tragic

   As she bent down and laid flowers on the grave

   The flowers were roses, their petals held raindrops

   Each blossom was red as the blood in your veins

 

   The call of a raven I heard from a treetop

   Her thoughts interrupted the story did end

   Blinking the tears from her eyes as she left me

   Alone in the graveyard chilled by what she said

                               

From the darkness...

WAR:                        I rule this land with an iron hand

                                 And you’ll never be set free

                                 So listen well as a tale I’ll tell

                                 Of how I came to be

 

                                 I fought with supernatural strength

                                 For many days and nights

        To eradicate all innocence

        Make wrong instead of right

 

        And crimson blood did wash the land

        My victims they did scream

        For burning fire I poured on them

        Fulfilling all my needs

 

       Yet still I claimed to fight for truth

       For liberty and freedom

       By lies and propaganda cruel

       I justified what I had done

 

      Those who returned still bear the scars

      Within their mind is turmoil

      Blindly they followed my command

      Cross any foreign soil

 

      And now you ask me of my name

      Who can this monster be?

      I tell you mankind I’m your god

      War is and always shall be.

The stage is laid out as the interior of a railway carriage. Various sounds can be heard from the busy platform. The atmosphere is that of a pleasant summer day with lots of light. There is much good natured commotion in the corridor where laughter and conversation can be heard. Suddenly, two men burst into the carriage, still laughing and joking. The men are young and wear military uniforms. They spend a few moments stowing away kit bags before settling down.

STRONGARM:          Pray comrade let us grin like cats and be of good mind

                                A bold future unfurls before us, leave dull lives behind

                                Let’s grasp firm to adventure, fate may take its path

                                Youth and courage on our side, in fear’s face we laugh

 

CLOVERLEAF:          My friend this is a dream we’ve shared since infant days

                                To leave our kith and kin, seek out that unknown place

                                Where boys can earn their passage through acts most brave

                                Into an adult world is something we both have craved

 

STRONGARM:          But now that we’ve achieved our goal why seem you sad?

                                We’ll see the world, do great deeds, come you should be glad

                                Upon our return our friends will all gather round to say

                                Look how these boys became men once they had gone away

                                Now we shall be more great than Heracles

                                And count heroic tasks at more than ten

                                We shall sack Troy and return triumphant

                                With olive garlands wreathed about our heads

                                Epic poems shall recount our brave deeds

        The people shall erect marble statues

        Great monuments, a source of National pride

        In memory of our many victories

        And while women of our enemies weep

        We shall take our pick of fairest maidens

        Have treasures heaped upon us as reward

        In history’s book our names shall be writ large

        Our story told to children through the age

        That they may marvel, wonder, be in awe

        At those who shaped their nation’s greatest days

CLOVERLEAF:          Your words are bold and may be true

                                But me I have my doubts

                                Though forces from the East are few

                                For six months could hold out

                                As winter takes an iron grip

                                A chance could through our fingers slip

                                Power in the balance tip

                                In favour of our foes

STRONGARM:         Now listen to me well my friend

                               All from the East shall broken be

                               At our hands meet bloody ends

                               While brave words are spoken see

                               Western boots shall break their skulls

                               As satisfied our hunger dulls

       Then peace shall reign again

CLOVERLEAF:         I know the politicians’ words

                               Of Eastern neighbours’ bad intent

                               But men are all the same I’ve heard

                               Our foe’s not by the Devil sent

                               Is it not true we’re all the same?

                               Blood and bone in mortal frame

                               Why should we go to war?

STRONGARM:        Like us they are clearly not

                               More like a tumour cut them out

                               A cancerous, infectious blot

                               When left unchecked it oozes out

                               Polluting us with their foul blood

                               And our pure line thus weakened could

                               Be destroyed for ever more

CLOVERLEAF:         But speak you not of men like us?

                               With children, wives and homes

                               How could they bring on such a curse?

                               That chills us to the bone

                               They tend their fields with gentle hand

                               Just like us, caring for their land

                               Why should they mean us harm?

STRONGARM:         These are your brothers? So you say

                                Yet they would slay you in the night

                                Like Jackals sniffing out their prey

                                While slinking through the moonlight

                                They’ll rape and steal from our kind

                                And burn down any home they find

        No shred of mercy shown

CLOVERLEAF:          Our land is rich with fertile fields

        That can provide all that we need

        Each harvest gives sufficient yield

        It can all of our people feed

        We have such wealth why do we blame

        Outsiders who are not the same?

        They cannot do us harm

STRONGARM:          We are indeed a lucky breed

                                To occupy a land so rare

                                That we can live both safe and free

                                The reason you can clearly see

                                The Sentinel stands there

                                Built by our forebears long since passed

                                For centuries stood firm and fast

                                To guard our sacred earth from coast to hills

                                Ensuring that no evil left its lair

                                Though howls its threat and so he stands there still

                                And watches over this our nation fair

                                That noble golden statue that stands glimmering

                                Atop our highest snowy mountain peak

                                Cold, remote and lonely stands he shimmering

                                As we look up in awe with pride we’re brimming

                                And he fills us with the confidence we seek

                                He seems alive at least to all our minds

                                A vital, vibrant symbol of our kind

                                And though none of us dare to climb that mount

                                Nor have they done for years too great to count

                                Afraid are we to set upon that sacred place

                                Where icy winds still blow and snow lays deep

                                The Sentinel his holy vigil keeps

                                With wise and noble look upon his face

                                And while he stands as guardian to our state

                                We need not fear the fickle hand of fate

                                Take heart my fellow countrymen, be bold

                                Stand firm against the sly and grasping hoard

                                Be like that noble watchman forged from gold

                                And as we build a pyre from broken bones

                                That we’ll harvest from our foe in battles heat

                                And light a bonfire at our guardian’s feet

                                Then dance and sing around the fire

                                Celebrate victorious

                                Chanting loud we’ll feed the flames

                                With bodies of our subdued slaves

                                Watch as the flames burn strong

                                They’ll light up his golden face

                                As though he joins the song

        The Sentinel will leave his place

                                And dance among the throng

                                So take heart comrade that I pray

                                Let happy thoughts take hold of you

                                Take heed of all the words I say

        For only truth do they convey

        Carry them with you to battle’s fray

        And share them with your comrades too

        Inspire them with your bravery

        Release them from fear’s slavery

        To join that bold but happy few.

The train begins to slow down and stops. There are noises, voices from the platform.

STRONGARM:          What happens brother, can you see?

                                 Why has our mission paused?

                                 Nothing must stand in the way

                                 Of our most righteous cause

                                 For if one fights the viper’s strike

                                 Poison is the only cure

                                 But must be given lightning like

                                 To make recovery sure

                                 So there must be no more delay

                                 Go tell them, move along!

                                 I’m eager now to join the fray

         Not wait here all day long

CLOVERLEAF:           Soldiers, soldiers young and brave

                                 Want to climb on board

                                 Our fellow countrymen to save

                                 From evil, fire and sword

                                 But see now as they hesitate

                                 Turning now to remonstrate

                                 With someone frail and old

STRONGARM:           You must describe just what you see

                                  For this does seem too strange

                                  I think you must mistaken be

                                  For youth respects old age

CLOVERLEAF:            They gather now around the man

                                  Kick and beat him so

                                  I can’t explain, perhaps you can

                                 Why our young men would do such things

                                 Upon our state great shame it brings

         As they strike blow on blow

STRONGARM:           This is a puzzle, it is true

                                  Why would our boys behave this way?

                                  Come tell me there must be some clue

                                  A reason for affray

CLOVERLEAF:            From this man’s clothing I would say

                                  That he has travelled from the East

                                  The soldiers for his blood they bay

                                  He now lies beaten on the ground

                                  His begging makes a pitiful sound

                                  But the beating does not cease