A brave face looks towards the sky,
Strong fingers grip the trigger cold.
A flash, a burst of red, a deathly cry,
Thus ends the life of one man bold.

His companions barely look to see
who falls twisting in the stinking mud
and writhes in dying agony
...for his is not the only blood.

The sky is red, the ground is red
The stench of death lies thick
..'the glory of war' - some fool said
Its a glory of the fools and sick

* * * * * * * *

A womans tears fall today
as she rocks her child to sleep
...her man died in the fray
but she is not the only one to weep

Sorrow is a mist you see
now, after war, it grips
those who want what cannot be
leaves wet eyes and trembling lips

How they cheered when 'They came home"
"We've WON" they said
they forgot - inside the sweetest peach there is a stone
but some knew about the death and bloodshed.

"What a glory, what a joy
what a wonderous cause"
says a mother weeping for her boy
and a wife who knows life's flaws.

See that child - where is his father?
Why is that woman now alone?
its the war, or if you'd rather...
all because the peach has got a stone.

Angela Campbell ( Anji Alexander) 1982.