Thursday, April 10, 2008

Gallipoli

Gallipoli and the Dardanelles,
Achi Baba and Sedd-ul-Bahr,
Salt Lake and Scimitar Hill.

Kitchener, Willmer, Fisher,
Hampshire, Lancashire, Ayrshire,
Gurkha, Mustapha, Suvla,

Sitwell and Stopford,
Ross and Cromarty,
Hamilton and Braithwaite.

Monash, Morto, Murdoch,
Keyes, Keysor, Krithia,
Pope's, Punjabis, Paris.

Twelve Tree Copse and Redoubt,
Gully Ravine and Anzac,
The Vineyard and Courtney's.

de Lisle, de Robeck, de Tott's.
Rounds, rifles, reinforcements,
shortages, shortages, shortages!

Disease, death, debacle and defeat.
Homeric heroism remembered and revered,
alive, sacred, forever and ever.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008