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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Valhalla
Leading us on, to the land of eternity
Riding the cold cold winds of valhalla
The kingdom of odin is the kingdom of gods
Where only souls of the brave may rest in peace
But someone among them had the skill of deceit
And raised the hand that would open the road to hel
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Be sure that the blood will start to flow
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Valhalla
The ring has been broken and a soul must be saved
Among the bravest of men, who rides to hel
The longships are sailing and the chariots ride
And yes the anger of thor will serve you well
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Be sure that the blood will start to flow
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Valhalla
Raise your hands
Reach and valhalla will save your soul
Raise your eyes
And odin will lead us on
They say that history repeats itself
Upon the year of the seventh century
Well nobody knows, no you never can tell
So youd better run now and hide away
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Be sure that the blood will start to flow
When the winds of valhalla run cold
Valhalla
song performed by by Black Sabbath
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
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Valhalla
There is a place
Where every man who falls
In battle surely will go
And in this place
Lives a god
Who is their lord
One of knowledge
Who surely knows
Eyes are burning brightly
Shining on into the night
Heads are falling
Valkyries calling
Back the men to fight
For the terrifier
Magic mystifier
Preparation for victory
Mighty oh! valhalla
Theyre coming home
To valhalla
Each day the valiant
Armies of the past
Would fight outside the hall
Then in the evening
The vanquished would rise up
With the victors
And feast one and all
Written on the runes
The many tales of men of old
Ancient kings who ruled the land
A thousand years ago
Prayed to the terrifier
Magic mystifier
For knowledge and victory
Mighty oh! valhalla
Theyre coming home to valhalla
Come the final battle
Odinn charges on his steed
Fenrirs foe is thrusting home
But it was not to be
Now the terrifier
Magic mystifier
Vanquished but he will live on
Mighty oh! in valhalla
Hes living on in valhalla
Valhalla!
song performed by by Pantera
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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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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Hawke
In seventeen hundred and fifty-nine,
When Hawke came swooping from the West,
The French King's Admiral with twenty of the line,
Was sailing forth to sack us, out of Brest.
The ports of France were crowded, the quays of France a-hum
With thirty thousand soldiers marching to the drum,
For bragging time was over and fighting time was come
When Hawke came swooping from the West.
'Twas long past noon of a wild November day
When Hawke came swooping from the West;
He heard the breakers thundering in Quiberon Bay,
But he flew the flag for battle, line abreast.
Down upon the quicksands roaring out of sight
Fiercely beat the storm-wind, darkly fell the night,
But they took the foe for pilot and the cannon's glare for light
When Hawke came swooping from the West.
The Frenchmen turned like a covey down the wind
When Hawke came swooping from the West;
One he sank with all hands, one he caught and pinned,
And the shallows and the storm took the rest.
The guns that should have conquered us they rusted on the shore,
The men that would have mastered us they drummed and marched no more,
For England was England, and a mighty brood she bore
When Hawke came swooping from the West.
poem by Sir Henry Newbolt
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War Is Over
Old soldiers talk about the battles fought
To build a better world for me and you.
They sacrificed their lives to make a dream come true.
Now theyre forgotten men remembered by so few.
But the war is over and the fighting ended many years ago.
The war is over. the battles won but what is there to show?
Side by side they marched together fighting so their children
Could be free,
To build a better world, a new society
All classes unified to live in harmony
Now the war is over so lets forget and leave the past alone.
The war is over, its time for all the soldiers to go home.
Rich men, poor men make history,
Fighting for the land of hope and glory
A nations voice will sing as one,
A battle cry until weve won
The was is over and the patriotic comrades are no more.
The war is over
Now theyre going home to live just like before.
Arm in arm we sang our patriotic songs of love and sentiment.
Tears of joy to hide the sorrow,
New tomorrows till we meet again,
With a new world to build well say auf weidersein.
What did they do for us?
What did it prove to us?
As we stand beside the silent grave
The unknown soldier cant be saved.
The war is over
The war is over, its time for all the soldiers to go home.
The war is over.
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Somewhere Near The Lomba River
The guns of enemy tanks are flashing
like bolts of thunder while I am glancing,
the night air is full of the smell of cordite
and luckily those shots are passing
while the armoured car draws to a sudden halt
for its gun to take aim and on my lips I taste salt
before the armour piercing shell is fired
and at a direct hit around me the crew exalt
before at speed we move on
and some more enemy Cuban soldiers are gone,
are burnt in the fiery hell
while my heart, my brain feels like stone.
An enemy shell strikes another armoured car
like a exploding flaming star
and I can smell torched human flesh,
while I wish to be away very far,
to be away from killing
and this chilling
kind of machination of machines and men
who at each other are firing
but to survive we battle on right through the night,
are still trying to find some more enemies in the broad daylight,
find two abounded stationary pristine enemy battle tanks
from which the enemy had run in fright.
poem by Gert Strydom
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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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Let's Remember Those Soldiers
Let's remember those soldiers
No matter alive or dead
Hold them dear to our hearts
And keep their memories in our heads
Let's remember those soldiers
As they fight on foreign lands
And pray they make it back home
Because it is all up to Gods hands
Let's remember those soldiers
And the hell they are going through
Praise them when they get home
For all they've done for me and you
Let's remember those soldiers
And their families they left behind
Should you know some of these families
Try and treat them a little more kind
Let's remember those soldiers
They are fighting for our rights
Before you go to sleep tonight
Say a prayer for them tonight
Let's remember those soldiers
And let them know that we care
But for the grace of God
We might be the ones over there
Let's remember those soldiers
And let's wish them all the best
May they all make it back home
So we all can get some rest
Let's remember those soldiers
Even ones from wars of the past
Though some are dead and gone
Let's make sure their memories last
Let's remember those soldiers
And docs and nurses in those camps
Taking care of the wounded
Let's put their faces on postage stamps
Let's remember those soldiers
And not just count them as a loss
For they are truely the ones
That pay the ultimate cost
wrote 3/7/2008 by Norman Hale Jr.
poem by Norman Hale
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Politeness
The English and the French were met
Upon the field of future battle;
The foes were formidably set
And waiting for the guns to rattle;
When from the serried ranks of France
The English saw with woeful presage
Under a flaming flag advance
A trumpeter who bore a message.
'Twas from their Marshal, quite polite,
Yet made the English leader shiver.
"We're perched," said he, "upon the height,
While you're exposed beside the river.
We have the vantage, you'll agree,
And your look-out is melancholy;
But being famed for courtesy
We'll let you fire the starting volley."
The English General was moved,
In fact his eyes were almost tearful;
Then he too his politeness proved
By writing back: "We are not fearful.
Our England is too proud to take
The privilege you thrust upon her;
So let your guns in thunder break:
To you, M'sieu, shall be the houour."
Again a note the Marshall sent
By envoy for his battle station:
"Your spirit wins my compliment,
Your courage my appreciation.
Yet you are weak and we are strong,
And though your faith is most inspiring,
Don't let us linger all day long -
Mon General, begin the firing."
"How chivalrous the soul of France."
The English General reflected.
"I hate to take this happy chance,
But I suppose it's what's expected.
Politeness is a platitude
In this fair land of gallant foemen."
So with a heart of gratitude
He primed his guns and cried: "Let's go men!"
The General was puzzled when
No answer came, said he: "What is it?
Why don't they give us hell?" And then
The herald paid another visit.
The Marshall wrote: "to your salute
Please pardon us for not replying;
To shatter you we cannot shoot . . .
My men are dead and I am dying."
poem by Robert William Service
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Army of One
I do not see your intention.
Only my perception.
Actions must be clear.
As words can get misconstrued.
The intent behind an action,
Must have no expectation of other.
Only the will to achieve what it set out for.
Love is a choice, love is an action.
So is disappointment.
What do I choose?
I choose to be free.
Free of expectations, free of disappointment, free of fear.
To love unconditionally is the only way.
It is okay to be scared,
But it is not okay to let the fear control me.
If fear controls, fear wins.
If fear stops me, I have nothing to lose.
I have nothing to win either.
His will, my determination, my desire, His Glory.
I will lay my life down for such things.
For the battle has already been won.
When the battle line has been drawn,
It merely comes down to choosing which side I wish to fight on.
My side, or the right side.
I’ll choose the right side.
My side had many soldiers.
All fighting for their own causes.
The Many Armies of One.
The right side also had many soldiers.
An Army of One.
One army with one cause.
May His will be done.
For me, it already has!
poem by Ryan Lee Morris
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Oh England My Lionheart
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Im in your garden, fading fast in your arms.
The soldiers soften, the war is over.
The air raid shelters are blooming clover.
Flapping umbrellas fill the lanes--
My london bridge in rain again.
Oh! england, my lionheart!
Peter pan steals the kids in kensington park.
You read me shakespeare on the rolling thames--
That old river poet that never, ever ends.
Our thumping hearts hold the ravens in,
And keep the tower from tumbling.
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
I dont want to go.
Oh! england, my lionheart!
Dropped from my black spitfire to my funeral barge.
Give me one kiss in apple-blossom.
Give me one wish, and Id be wassailing
In the orchard, my english rose,
Or with my shepherd, wholl bring me home.
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
I dont want to go.
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
Oh! england, my lionheart,
I dont want to go.
song performed by by Kate Bush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Among the Red Guns
Among the red guns,
In the hearts of soldiers
Running free blood
In the long, long campaign:
Dreams go on.
Among the leather saddles,
In the heads of soldiers
Heavy in the wracks and kills
Of all straight fighting:
Dreams go on.
Among the hot muzzles,
In the hands of soldiers
Brought from flesh-folds of women--
Soft amid the blood and crying--
In all your hearts and heads
Among the guns and saddles and muzzles:
Dreams,
Dreams go on,
Out of the dead on their backs,
Broken and no use any more:
Dreams of the way and the end go on.
poem by Carl Sandburg
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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 Immortal Strain
“Late Midshipman John Travers (Chester),
aged 16 years. He was mortally wounded
early in the action, yet he remained alone in
a most exposed post awaiting orders, with
his gun's crew dead all round him.”
We told old stories one by one,
Brave tales of men who toyed with death,
Of wondrous deeds of valor done
In days of bold Elizabeth.
“Alas! our British stock,” said we,
“Is not now what it used to be.”
We read of Drake's great sailors, or
Of fighting men that Nelson led,
Who steered the walls of oak to war.
“These were our finest souls,” we said.
“Their fame is on the ocean writ,
Nor time, nor storm may cancel it.
“The mariners of England then
Were lords of battle and of breeze.
The were, indeed the wondrous men
Who won for us the shoreless seas,
Who took old Neptune's ruling brand
And set it in Britannia's hand.
“But now,” we sighed, “the blood is pale,
We're little people of the street,
And dare not front the shrilling gale.
The sons of England are effete,
Of shorter limb and smaller mould,
Mere pigmies by the men of old.”
Then came the vibrant bugle note.
None cowered at the high alarm,
The steady fleets were still afloat,
And England saw her soldiers arm,
And readily, with sober grace.
The close-set ranks swung into place.
On sea and shore they fought again,
And storied heroes came to life,
Once more were added to the slain.
Once more found glory in the strife;
Again her yeoman sons arose;
A wall 'tween Britain and her foes.
The eager lads, with laughing lips
And souls elate, where oceans roar,
Or planes the eagle's flight eclipse,
Give all for her, and come no more;
Or where death thunders down the sky
Beside their silent guns they lie;
This boy who, while the iron rains
With seething riot whip the flood,
Fights on, till in his heart remains
No single drop of English blood,
Avers the British strain sublime,
Outliving Death, outlasting Time!
poem by Edward George Dyson
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The Englishman
St George he was for England,
And before he killed the dragon
He drank a pint of English ale
Out of an English flagon.
For though he fast right readily
In hair-shirt or in mail,
It isn't safe to give him cakes
Unless you give him ale.
St George he was for England,
And right gallantly set free
The lady left for dragon's meat
And tied up to a tree;
But since he stood for England
And knew what England means,
Unless you give him bacon
You mustn't give him beans.
St George he is for England,
And shall wear the shield he wore
When we go out in armour
With battle-cross before.
But though he is jolly company
And very pleased to dine,
It isn't safe to give him nuts
Unless you give him wine.
poem by G.K. Chesterton
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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The Englishman
St George he was for England,
And before he killed the dragon
He drank a pint of English ale
Out of an English flagon.
For though he fast right readily
In hair-shirt or in mail,
It isn't safe to give him cakes
Unless you give him ale.
St George he was for England,
And right gallantly set free
The lady left for dragon's meat
And tied up to a tree;
But since he stood for England
And knew what England means,
Unless you give him bacon
You mustn't give him beans.
St George he is for England,
And shall wear the shield he wore
When we go out in armour
With battle-cross before.
But though he is jolly company
And very pleased to dine,
It isn't safe to give him nuts
Unless you give him wine.
poem by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The soldiers fought
The soldiers fought a fight, and went for us,
They went not thinking of themselves, and no fuss;
Some were injured. Yet in such agony they fought,
And some carried back to safety, while the enemy was sought.
Those soldiers were so very brave, fighting in our place,
Marching altogether, In order and without grace;
They never knew if they'd get back home at all,
All they did was fighting to win, the problem wasn't small.
And a lot of those brave soldiers, lost arms and legs, it's so,
But some very brave soldiers, where they died we don't know;
And this is why the legacy, we remember them, at set of sun,
And thank all these brave soldiers, for the good that was done.
poem by Margaret Haig
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Remembrance Day
For our king and our country and the promise of glory
We came from kingston and brighton to fight on the front line
Just lads from the farms and boys from the cities
Not meant to be soldiers we lay in the trenches
Wed face the fighting with a smile - or so we said
If only we had known what danger lay ahead
The sky turned to grey as we went into battle
On the fields of europe young men were fallin
Ill be back for you someday - it wont be long
If I can just hold on til this bloody war is over
The guns will be silent on remembrance day
Therell be no more fighting on remembrance day
By october of 18 cambrai had fallen
Soon the war would be over and wed be returnin
Dont forget me while Im gone far away
Well it wont be long till Im back there in your arms again
One day soon - I dont know when
You know well all be free and the bells of peace will ring again
The time will come for you and me
Well be goin home when this bloody war is ended
The guns will be silent on remembrance day
Well all say a prayer on remembrance day
On remembrance day - say a little prayer
On remembrance day
Well the guns will be silent
Therell be no more fighting
Oh well lay down our weapons
On remembrance day
song performed by by Bryan Adams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cold Wind To Valhalla
And ride with us young bonny lass ---
With the angels of the night.
Crack wind clatter --- flesh rein bite on an out-size
Unicorn.
Rough-shod winging sky blue flight on a cold wind
To valhalla.
And join with us please --- valkyrie maidens cry
Above the cold wind to valhalla.
Break fast with the gods. night angels serve
With ice-bound majesty.
Frozen flaking fish raw nerve ---
In a cup of silver liquid fire.
Moon jet brave beam split ceiling swerve and light
The old valhalla.
Come join with us please --- valkyrie maidens cry
Above the cold wind to valhalla.
The heroes rest upon the sighs of thors trusty
Hand maidens.
Midnight lonely whisper cries,
''were getting a bit short on heroes lately.
Sword snap fright white pale goodbyes in the
Desolation of valhalla.
And join with us please --- valkyrie maidens ride
Empty-handed on the cold wind to valhalla.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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