Live In Peace Poem by Charles M Moore

It was a cold day when the rain came down
our life was just a hole in the ground
I tell you if there's a hell, then this was it
between our legs the rats would roam
try to get some sleep and they'd dropp a bomb
you never ate but somehow you felt sick

Then around a cigarette would pass
you took your draw it might be your last
there was no remorse for being knee deep in mud
and now and then you glanced the fence
its spiking barbs and body's drenched
the cuts and scars, the sweat and tears and blood

You can never forget that caustic smell
of the guns that fought their way to hell
or the hollow looking eyes that once were friends
you gazed upon their saddened smiles
though somehow never realised
they looked at you the way you looked at them

We knew it wouldn't be too long
till we moved off or just passed on
somebody told us we'd be going soon,
'There's a machine gun post just over the line,
We're going to take it so now's the time',
It sounded like picking flowers in the afternoon

And sure enough the whistle blew
the time had come for us we knew
over the top our party made the advance
we ran five yards and over the wire
we ran five more then heard the fire
the machine gun opened up, we had no chance

So here I lie in no mans land
with an empty pocket and gun in hand
yet it seems so peaceful with the battle all around
and as I watch the clouds go past
I wonder how long it will last
before returning to my old home town

It's a long time since that battle day
though I never made the big parade
let he who hasn't sinned cast the first stone
well it's missiles that we're casting now
a fact that doesn't make me proud
I'm the soldier in the grave that's marked unknown.