Towards The War

Flags are red, flags are raised

Horses are ready, we are steady 

Left the lady, from the home

Missed the darling, Tim and Tom

Drank a pint of beer, for my grief and tear

Grab the swords, from the hall

A brand new pair of brogues, rattling over the bogs

Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born

Step we gaily, on we go

Heel for heel, and toe for toe

Arm in arm, and row on row

Frightening all, on the Rocky Road 

Over hills, up and down

Myrtle green, and bracken brown

Down among the bigs, 

Danced some hearty jigs

Time has come, fields are plain

Rules are simple, and the same, 

To serve your Army, and the King, 

Jump and fight, in Father’s hay

With bows and arrows, and wooden spears

Prepared to starve and sweat, and die

Under some, fierce foreign sky

Blood and bones, on the ground

Swords and spears, swore in red

So hold your nose, against the stink

And never stop, too long to think.

Let me die, a young man's death

not a clean, in between the sheets, 

not famous last word rites, 

peaceful out, and breath a glorious death

Hunt the hare, War is won

A toast for King, 

A toast for Queen, 

As champions of this stony ground

Men's have died, loss for clans

Wars are fought, to keep the claims

Wars don’t change, except in name

Next one must go, just the same.