Sarajevo

A poem about the start of World War 1

On the date of Vidovdan,

A day of Serbian pride,

The oppressor, Franz Ferdinand,

Was challenged by the Black Hand

Upon a simple ride

Through the streets of Serbia.

The rebel’s goal: to make sure he died

an act of magnus audacia

to make the Serbians unified.

Serbian liberation

Was why the shot was fired.

After centuries of oppression,

It was a time of desperation,

And some people were inspired.

They called themselves Young Bosnia,

And together they conspired

To break away from Austria

And make Serbia admired.

 

On the date of Vidovdan,

A foolish day to choose,

Great Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Stretched out his regal hand

To save a land he thought he’d lose.

And in a noble, selfless outreach

He celebrated with them, in their avenues

In a desperate attempt to reach

The Serbs his nation owed some dues.

He paraded down the streets of town

In celebration quite merry.

In hopes to calm the rebels down

To keep them loyal to the crown

In as good a plan as any.

He brought his wife, named Sophie.

Together as some missionaries,

For the cause of unity,

They went to town, unwary.

 

Gavrilo Princip saw the man,

Who was both adored and despised,

And shot him for his native land

Which left the whole world polarized

 

Was Gavrilo in the right

To shake off his oppressor?

Or was he wrong to start a fight

Which sent men to their maker?

He sent the world into a war

But made his nation free

A question, dear reader, I do implore

Good or bad, which was he?

Author's Note

Another school project. If you find anything you like or dislike, please let me know.

Reviews

[J.M.Fields]

Bro that was insane. I'm not one for poetry but that was brilliant.

[Luther Calvin]

Well written. I like how you included both perspectives in this piece. I can tell you did your research. Well done, and keep writing.