bagdad

I couldn’t sleep I’d wake and cry,

You couldn’t sleep because I lied.

But do you really want to know the truth ,

The day I gave away my youth

They told us to stand upon the sand.

There’s no-one there only the dead,

The planes had all flown over head.

“Stand and be proud” said Mr Bush,

This today our final push.

We’ve been trained for this my highland boys,

We played like soldiers with our toys.

There’s no-one there, just sand and stone,

 But its me this time , that goes alone.

Horay we charged, on our way to Bagdad,

The people they cheer, we will all be glad.

There’s no-one there, only the dead,

The planes had all flown over head.

So we ran, oh what a crack,

On our backs, 200lb packs.

There’s no-one there only the dead,

The planes had all flown over head.

I couldn’t sleep. I’d wake and cry,

You couldn’t sleep because I lied.

Over the hole in no mans land,

My rifle held within my hands.

But who was that Mr Bush?

The boy I met on the final push.

A frightened child, with a wide eyed stare.

No prisoners they said, til we make the line,

No prisoners they said, there is no time.

There’s no-one there, only the dead,

The planes had all flown over head.

That day I killed a mother’s child,

My darling mothers Bastard child.

Symond Lawes

 Feb 2005