Dying With The Enemy Poem by Steve Santerre

The voice on the radio speaks with alarm
Of some war we started, neighbours going mad…

“Praise to the soldiers who fight for your freedom
Praise to the heroes, who die everyday
Holding the flame up, bravery, never letting down,
For this country, for its people, for every city, every town

Brothers and sisters in duty, a march to the hilltop
Side by side, guns in arms, dying for tomorrow’s light
Where all is possible, where we are given a chance
Where artists can paint, and dancers can dance”

The north and the south, the east, and the west
The words end fiercely, the leader cheered, a speech addressed

The roar of machine guns piercing the enemy, bloodshed
A sad sight, war, how its terror kills the soul,
Bullets flying and hitting the once living men and women
Whose thoughts of yesterday bring comfort, bring joy,
But dead in a ditch, where two foes lay
Forgetting the pistol, letting go at last
Seeing the other man there, sadness, knowing his family will mourn
Two sides go down in bitter defeat, the hearts at home, forever torn