They came for us

they came for us
the recruitment drives
enlist
or you’ll let
your mates, your country,
your king, your empire
down
… enlist
or someone’s mother
will give you a white feather

they came for us
the drill sergeants
in the early hours
to show us how to kill

they came for us
the ships
to take us to battlefields
on the other side of the world

they came for us
the stretcher bearers
separating
the living from the dead

they came for us
the hospital ships
to bring home the broken
when we had no more to give

they came for us
the nightmares
we cannot share

surely
this is the war
to end all wars

surely