They marched with a cry,
To the war of the century,
The one to end all.
The charge broke.
Two fronts met.
The cry became a whisper;
A million souls departed.
A million dreams lost.
—
This weekend Trifecta is asking for exactly 33 words plus the following three words:
- charge
- century
- lost
I thought I’d do one and offer it for the men who died at the Somme. I know it’s an old war, almost a century old, but I have always found that particular battle heartbreaking. Maybe because of Wilfred Owen’s writings, or maybe just because I can picture any one of the million men, the million boys who died in the mud next to a river that turned red, as either one of my siblings; marching off to manhood, brainwashed into thinking that they are fighting a war that would end all wars, only for them to waste away and have the same blood and carnage repeated just two decades later.
Sandra's scribbles 
That is always the way of war. And the way the spirit of young men is coerced into believing they will be the ones to make a difference. Yet the outcome is always the same.
Well done with the prompt.
It is always the same isn’t? Such a waste! Thanks a lot for your comment, Renee.
You captured this moment perfectly. Although I’ve never experienced it, you wrote what I imagined.
Thanks a lot, Deana.
You did that very well..
Thanks Pirate, I appreciate your feedback.
This is very good.
🙂 Thank you.
Powerful and evocative. Amazing job!
Thanks a lot Draug 🙂
All those dead boys. So sad. Memorable take on the three words!
Thanks a lot for your comment Linda.
Very powerful and heartbreaking poem. So many lives and dreams lost in war.
Yup, and we never learn! Thanks for your comment Janna.
Beautifully sad.
So poignantly powerful!
Thanks Atreyee.
🙂
Powerful, poignant, sad. That’s war and you captured the imagery.
What a wonderful comment. Thanks Gina.
touching nice write 🙂
About how I feel about war. Great post.