When soldiers have been baptized in the fire of a battle-field, they have all one rank in my eyes.
quote by Napoleon Bonaparte
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
Fire! Fire!
A fire is lit, gleaming backs
Drums beat, in ecstasy dancers
Hop around the night fire
He dipped, to be baptized,
In water and said
‘ he will come for water
His time will change to fire’
Fire! Fire!
Lit in my heart, this fire
That heals, in ecstasy, in holiness
Universe enjoined, fire in your eyes
Melted my heart!
poem by Charles Jagongo Ogola
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Field of Battle
Forced are the troops of battle,
Into the field of war, of war.
Feed on their movement, general,
As a leader of war, of this battle.
I, a troop, have forced my mind
Into the war of my dreams,
Into the fire of my wishes;
They are like dread and scare.
To belittle a young man, who is a soldier,
A fighter, born of the skill to fight and parry,
Is never agreeable in the eyes of the warlord,
The hard man or woman, the harsh chief.
Punishment awaits those who excel at war crime
And force is a force that fades from power
To weak pull, a reaction to the enemy,
A full explosion for them who oppose.
Swords and crossbows are the implements
That win the war more than anything else.
Your horse is put to death, the standard-bearers
Are put down for their bravery, gallantry.
Forced are the troops of battle,
Into the field of war, of war.
Feed on their movement, general,
As a leader of war, of this battle.
poem by Naveed Akram
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Soldier (not really a poem)
the american revolution was fought witha new breed of soldier.
this country was founded on that soldier.
that soldier is the one that those on the front lines calls the coward
that soldier is the one that those on the front lines call when they need help
because these soldiers dont miss.
these soldiers are trained harder than the most elite frontline man
these soldiers are tought to kill their enemy before there enemy sees them.
these soldiers are the ghosts in the night,
these soldiers are the wind in the day
these soldiers are everywhere.
these soldiers are the bush next to u.
these soldiers are the the tree across the field.
these soldiers are the lump of snow in the flat plain.
these soldiers are snipers.
snipers are the reason we are free.
snipers stop the enemy before the enemy gets close to u,
poem by Joshua Decker
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The Soldiers Return
(bell/clarke)
Slow the years go by
They stole your man off to war
Will you see the child
As you sing battle songs
And it pains me
To think of the soldiers plight
I will pray
For your heart to guide you home
And she cries for the soldiers return
Despair of feeling alone for so long
By the light of the candle that burns
For his life
For the day of the soldiers return
Hear the cannon fire
Lost voices echo in the night
See the spoils of war
Young men are falling, ooh
Hear the drummer marching oer the hill
Love returning and the graves of the battle lie still
And she cries...(chorus)
Hear the drummer marching oer the hill
Love returning and the graves of the battle lie still
And she cries...(chorus)
Young men are falling, young men are falling...
song performed by by Erasure
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Soldiers Return
*****Erasure Lyrics*****
*****Version 1.0*****
Albums and B-Sides
-Painstakingly compiled and transcribed by John Setlik
([email protected]) with much help from Vidar Hanssen and Wes Hsu
-Source of lyrics indicated for each album or song
-Please do not re-distribute for commercial purposes
-The Soldiers Return- (transcribed by VH)
Slow the years go by
They stole your man off to war
Will you see the child
As you sing a better song
And it pains me
To think the soldiers
I will pray
For you've gone to guide you home
chorus:
And she cried for the soldiers return
Despair of feeling alone for so long
By the light of a candle that burns
For his life for the day of the soldiers return
Hear the cannons fire
Lost voices echo in the night
See the spoils of war
Young men are falling, ooh
Hear the drummer
Marching over the hill
Love returning
The graves of the battle lies still
chorus
Hear the drummer
Marching over the hill
Love returning
And the graves of the battle lies still
chorus
song performed by by Erasure
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Air/Sea Battle
War planes fly in the air
Raining bullets and machine gun fire
from the sky
Warships sail the sea
Firing missiles from their guns
While from below
It's an air/sea battle
And everyone's involved
It's every individual for themselves
Whether they like it or not
Pilots, soldiers, marines, and generals
They know what's at stake
They know what they must do
The skies aren't friendly
The sea isn't any kinder
But to anyone involved
They could care less about their surroundings
They're just wanting to survive
Throughout the day
Throughout the night
During this air/sea battle
poem by Justin Gildow
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Western
THOR draws a chord invisible
Across the shaking sky:
I hear the tearing of the shell,
The bullets sing and cry,
As, charging through the flames of hell,
The batteries go by.
The gunners laugh about the task,
That man to man has given:
Like Titans, now the guns unmask,
And fire the veils of heaven.
Above the cloud what lights are gleaming?
God's batteries are those,
Or souls of soldiers, homeward streaming
To banquet with their foes?
The floods of battle ebb and flow,
The soldiers to Valhalla go!
They say that, when the day awoke,
And the dying night was wan,
Harry of England rode the smoke,
And led the English van:
And bowmen in the battle-glare
Rose from the ghostly dew:
The clothyard sang upon the air,
And the grey goose-feather flew!
Harry of England is awake,
His archers mind not trench or stake !
And men have seen the Emperor,
The Eagle of the South:
God grant the bonds be loosed by Thor
That bind that marble mouth!
The silver roads of conquest lie
Fast frozen in his brow:
Would those imperious lips were free
To give their orders now!
The floods of battle ebb and flow,
The soldiers to Valhalla go!
Beyond the thunder of the guns,
Beyond the flaming line,
Far from this sky of echoing bronze,
The English valleys shine;
The gardens, moated in the wolds,
By wind and water kissed;
And dainty girls, that England folds
In sunshine and in mist.
The floods of battle ebb and flow,
The soldiers to Valhalla go!
The fighting men go charging past,
With the battle in their eyes,
The fighting men go reeling past,
Like gods in poor disguise:
And stumbling men, whom none will see,
No wife or mother more,
Winged with the wings of Victory,
And helmeted by Thor!
Above the cloud what lights are gleaming?
God's batteries are those,
Or souls of soldiers, homeward streaming
To banquet with their foes?
poem by Herbert Asquith
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Baptism Of Terence
baptized by full immersion in water
three times in a tributary of a river
colloquially known as The Waimak
rural countryside of the Canterbury plains
under a blue sky with golden beams of light
shining down mild afternoon sun blesses
slanting through cold flowing water
like a living golden mystic mantel
light shimmers through living water
baptized after a period of 24 hours
fasting neither eating nor drinking
in solitude solo prayer meditating
praying reading any passages
of the Bible I chose preparing
seeing no one sleeping fasting
step into Waimakariri River
river of cold rushing water
braided wide shingle beds
the hand of God is upon the baptized
it is God’s will his people be baptized
chosen accepting Christ are baptized
Jesus Christ by John was baptized
in Aramaic into Messianic Judaism
you into Christian denominations
one sinner former atheist baptized
one raised in Jesus Christ baptized
believe affirm in faith living beliefs
poem by Terence George Craddock
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Some Mothers Son
Some mothers son lies in a field
Someone has killed some mothers son today
Head blown up by some soldiers gun
While all the mothers stand and wait
Some mothers son aint coming home today
Some mothers son aint got no grave
Two soldiers fighting in a trench
One soldier glances up to see the sun
And dreams of games he played when he was young
And then his friend calls out his name
It stops his dream and as he turns his head
A second later he is dead
Some mothers son lies in a field
Back home they put his picture in a frame
But all dead soldiers look the same
While all the parents stand and wait
To meet their children coming home from school
Some mothers son is lying dead
Somewhere someone is crying
Someone is trying to be so brave
But still the world keeps turning
Though all the children have gone away
Some mothers son lies in a field
But in his mothers eyes he looks the same
As on the day he went away
They put his picture on the wall
They put flowers in the picture frame
Some mothers memory remains
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Field of Battle
I walked the field of battle,
eerie silence accompanied me.
The bitter odor of confrontation,
lingered mutely in the air.
I trod where warriors clashed.
Did my imagination soar, or.
Could I hear in the quiet,
sounds of dying souls?
Everywhere I stepped, I touched,
mute tokens of conflict.
Haunting evidence of siege.
I shuddered as the chill of fear caressed me.
On scorched earth a helmet laid.
What account might it cradle?
Who once had been its owner?
Had it been discarded, or orphaned?
An empty boot, a broken blade,
a long gun supported by bayonet.
Dented helmet graced the butt.
Had once young hero rested here?
In this field of battle,
‘midst smoke, fire, screams.
Did valor accompany fear,
and violence cultivate history?
What lie hidden, covered,
in these now so silent meads?
Were fainthearted to become hero,
had victors, and vanquished, dwelled together?
I wondered,
as I walked the field of battle.
10FEB06
poem by Kurt Hearth
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Angels Came Upon The Battle Fields
The angels came down upon the battle field
To deliver faith, and to heal.
They put back faith in the hearts of these women/men
Until this “ uncalled for war” would finally end.
They looked upon the wounded laying on the ground
But their faith had been found.
They looked at the spirits rising from the dead
And they all bowed their heads.
They said a prayer for every one
Who was going to meet the fathers son.
May the lord raise his hand, and bless
all nations and their promised land.
May he touch the hearts of all in despair
And give love and joy for them to share.
But! The angels jobs were far from through
There was so much that they had to do.
Faith wasn’t only needed on the soldiers battle field
But this entire world needed to heal.
They spread their powerful white wings to the skies
And they all began to fly.
The whites of the wings covered the skies
As they started to heal you and I.
The world felt the strength in their wings
As it touched every thing.
Their hearts filled, as the tears rolled from their eyes
For GOD gave them the greatest surprise.
He gave them faith when there was none to be found
And turned their hearts completely around.
poem by Louis Rams
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What The Captain Said
They made the fire so they want it to spread
the fire, the fire, the fire
They fan the flame to the forest bed
and the flames grew
higher, and higher, and higher
Remember what the captain said by the oceanside
where we took our ride
'We want no more soldiers dead, so come see us by the fire; '
Prometheus desire, the fire
by the fire, as the flames grow higher
We lay upon our riverbed, upon the Styx
the mosh pit Styx upon the pyre
Eyes wide, quartered dry, heads to the sky
and they watch the flames grow higher, and higher,
the fire
poem by Jay Bradley
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Border guards
What the soldiers are expected to perform?
On the field and off the field to inform
About their personal attitude towards enemy soldiers
And to maintain human values as guard on borders
There is real feeling of brotherhood when prevails calm
Regular visit to their bunkers in peace time without any harm
Exchange of greetings on festival days and respect for family members
Sweet memory, grief, burden or welfare to remember
When hostility is likely to resume or danger bell sounds
There is concern when skirmishes are shadowing with firing of rounds
No one knows who will hit and face the casualty
Peace atmosphere is broken with the arrival of hostility
Many countries have faced volatile borders
The peace accord is broken as if for the benefit of traders
New weaponry is to be tested on the battle field
Who is bothered about gain or loss or territories held?
New round of peace talks and firing still on
How the soldiers can rejoice when their bodies are torn?
Daily there is loss of some lives as if they are heard of ships
Bodies may return home for families at home to weep
When country is really at war, the war cry is heard
The countless losses along with human lives is feared
Many children may turn orphans as war may be raged
The situation there after may not be successfully managed
The scenario is so hysterically up sided that soldiers turn fierce enemies
Men in uniforms put hand ready on triggers as ordered by the armies
The blood is rushed to their eyes to finish each others with revenge
The national interest comes to their mind and consciously up to avenge
Who knows how many bodies lay scattered in the battle field?
Even though the scene is different as latest weapons are used
Still the draggers and bayonets are used to score over adversary
There may be many occasions to celebrate it as triumph anniversary
What is value of life in the minds of uniform men?
Are they totally indifferent to their brethren and other humans?
Do they really feel joy when dragger is pierced through body?
Does he really think that it can be him one day or any body?
The triumph echo may die soon and peace may prevail again?
The loss on both the sides may be forgotten with piece of land regained
The bodies may be exchanged with full guard of honor
The fallen guards may be considered as martyrs and nation’s saviors
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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The Drum
I'm a beautiful red, red drum,
And I train with the soldier boys;
As up the street we come,
Wonderful is our noise!
There's Tom, and Jim, and Phil,
And Dick, and Nat, and Fred,
While Widow Cutler's Bill
And I march on ahead,
With a r-r-rat-tat-tat
And a tum-titty-um-tum-tum -
Oh, there's bushels of fun in that
For boys with a little red drum!
The Injuns came last night
While the soldiers were abed,
And they gobbled a Chinese kite
And off to the woods they fled!
The woods are the cherry-trees
Down in the orchard lot,
And the soldiers are marching to seize
The booty the Injuns got.
With tum-titty-um-tum-tum,
And r-r-rat-tat-tat,
When soldiers marching come
Injuns had better scat!
Step up there, little Fred,
And, Charley, have a mind!
Jim is as far ahead
As you two are behind!
Ready with gun and sword
Your valorous work to do -
Yonder the Injun horde
Are lying in wait for you.
And their hearts go pitapat
When they hear the soldiers come
With a r-r-rat-tat-tat
And a tum-titty-um-tum-tum!
Course it's all in play!
The skulking Injun crew
That hustled the kite away
Are little white boys, like you!
But 'honest' or 'just in fun,'
It is all the same to me;
And, when the battle is won,
Home once again march we
With a r-r-rat-tat-tat
And tum-titty-um-tum-tum;
And there's glory enough in that
For the boys with their little red drum!
poem by Eugene Field
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Baptized
I don't want to look around
And be turned to stone
All my darkest days awoken
I'm looking for a new way
Lead me to a place wide open
I need a love that takes me higher
So high I'm never coming down
I don't want to know emptiness
Take me down to the water
Wanna be baptized in your love
Far away from the loneliness
Take my heart and wash away the fear
Let me be baptized in your love
Everybody's going down
They end up all alone
Far too many words unspoken
I know I gotta be there, I'm ready to be shown
The path of righteousness unbroken
I need a love that takes me higher
So high I'm never coming down
I don't want to know emptiness
Take me down to the water
Wanna be baptized in your love
Far away from the loneliness
Take my heart and wash away the fear
Let me be baptized in your love
I would be a fool to let you go
With you I'm reborn
I'm no longer torn
Yeah
I refuse to lose my heart and soul
I have to be strong
I don't want to know emptiness
Take me down to the water
Wanna be baptized in your love
Far away from the loneliness
Take my heart and wash away the fear
Let me be baptized in your love
song performed by by Lenny Kravitz
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Memorial Day
"Dulce et decorum est"
The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,
But not of war it sings to-day.
The road is rhythmic with the feet
Of men-at-arms who come to pray.
The roses blossom white and red
On tombs where weary soldiers lie;
Flags wave above the honored dead
And martial music cleaves the sky.
Above their wreath-strewn graves we kneel,
They kept the faith and fought the fight.
Through flying lead and crimson steel
They plunged for Freedom and the Right.
May we, their grateful children, learn
Their strength, who lie beneath this sod,
Who went through fire and death to earn
At last the accolade of God.
In shining rank on rank arrayed
They march, the legions of the Lord;
He is their Captain unafraid,
The Prince of Peace . . . Who brought a sword.
poem by Joyce Kilmer
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Nigerian Biafran War
The Biafrans cry separate
Nigerians cry we are one
The Nigerians and Biafrans
in a royal rumble
For non would submit to humble
as non would come to agreement
so they decided to fumble
and settle themselves on the battle field
The Nigerian soldiers fully prepared
Biafran soldiers thought they were ready
the opposing soldiers were excited
on the day of thier first outing
The soldiers filled with joy
the men filled with hatred
the women filled with fear
and the children with innocence
A bomb blast is heard
the soldiers quack their guns
the men getting ready to attack
the women in absolute confussion
The youths pick up weapons
the children sheding out blood
the soldiers held unto thier triggers
as men fell like woods
The rich flying abroad
the poor into the bush
women and children trampled
while some died at the instance
The children cries are heard
the shout of the women aswell
the grumbling of the men
and the mummuring of the youths
Nigerian soldiers chant their war songs
as they return with Biafrans defeated
though they still cry separate
the echoes of oneness is louder
The bodies of the dead were gathered
and the injured too
non could bear to stand and stare
at the worst of scenes
Women and children cried out thier hearts
the men were left with shocks
as every one reaised that war means death
and the reign of peace brings life
poem by Micheal Udenyi
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This Means War
(you get your head down, will you)
I want you to march
Eyes go right, shoulder arms
Left wheel turn, show your charms
Change your clothes, cut your hair
Aint no joke, aint no place for kids
When the flags are high, hear the battle cry
Treaty gone, see the bandits fly
Dig the trench, watch that blast
Shell shock come, coming fast
Name and rank on parade
Might get laid by a hand grenade
Do you know what it means?
This - means - war
This means war, this means war
I said this means war, this means war
This means war
(run for cover, hit the deck, call for your mother)
I need you to fire
Cock your gun, wet your sights
Get the bull dead to rights
Volunteers, one pace back
On the beach aint no place for kids
When the flack is high on a bomber run
You dont talk back to an ack-ack gun
Fire range, and youre in the blitz
Keep your head or youre blown to bits
Name and rank on parade
Might get laid by a hand grenade
Do you know what it means?
This - means - war
Whos going there, is it a friend or foe?
Propaganda time on the radio
Top brass shout as they clown around
Peace talks die in geneva town
Do you know what it means?
This - means - war
This means war, this means war
I said this means war, this means war
This means war
song performed by by AC-DC
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Beware The Pen
Raise your daggers raise your guns,
Rant and rave and burst your lungs
Chant on highest mountain top
Seal the roads make traffic stop
Shoot to kill as you think right
Blast with bombs in deep of night
Spread all rumours in your favour
Win each battle stop and savour
Preach to all converted lands
Shoot unless they show their hands
Send the soldiers brave and true
To do the dirty work for you
All things equal in your world
As long as it's your flag unfurled
Make your mark as you see wise
Grow your empire in the skies
Just one thing before you go
Something that you need to know
If but one pen is left to write
You may lose this fiercest fight
For pens the rank of soldiers swell
Such written words of courage tell
A victory cant be assured
The pen is mighty... not the sword.
poem by Dave James
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On Reading A Dictacted Letter
Dear Friend, methinks when thus thy plenary soul
Speaks from yon pale default that lies so low,
The hale and stalwart by thy couch must know
Such fond intoleration to be whole
As he, who, where the storms of battle roll,
Himself unthrown beholds the cannon throw
His father at his feet, and, while a woe
Of splendid shame dements him to that sole
Passion, above the fallen field looks round
The red conversion of the baptized ground
For aught whereon to spend his sanguine wealth
And, seeking not the value but the cost,
Rushes to win whatever, won or lost,
May end this gross unwounded infamy of health.
poem by Sydney Thompson Dobell
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