ANZAC Day

Julie Neighbourly Lead from Havelock North

And

And so they came
And they were bearing standards of war
And they were wearing Iron Crosses upon their chests
And they were wearing yokes and mantles about their necks
And they were riding demon beasts made of steel
Breathing death with every shout and whisper
And the people cried, begged, pleaded and died
And then they left

And the screams and whispers of the dying followed
And the survivors, few though they were
Walked lost and dazed, through the rubble that once was their homes
And the people tried to understand that which they could not
And the children tried to ask questions they could not form
And the dead lay where they fell
And the dogs did not
And the village mourned the loss of all they once cherished
The innocence of the children at peace with the world

And slowly they came together again
And no one could look upon another without seeing again
And their eyes were haunted by one moment in time
And their hands would not touch
And their ears would not hear
And their hearts would not feel
For all the good had been sullied by the blood of the children

And through all they know the sun will go down and rise again
And the birds will still sing at dawn
And the rain will fall from winter skies
And the children will still be born
And time will carry on her long slow march
Until the tears are dried and life is gone for all
Then peace will reign once more