Once We Danced

Once we danced among the line of frosted stoic trees

And tasted snowflakes, whispered to the biting winds in song

We ambled through the hills, and fought our greatest battles

Until the darkness came, and the spring had come along 

As children, rosy crystaled cheeks adorned our beaming faces

Our eyes saw only brothers and our sisters and our friends

The days were short, and we awoke to chilly, bright white worlds

But those worlds were then soaked black and red towards their ends

And innocence we still maintained as white as dusty snow

And hands still bonded in our warmth as fire grate of steel

But stained the snow was red as if the roses here had scattered

And coats now burnt and tattered, and our song a hoarse appeal

For brother dear, had followed through the white and wondrous world

He told us of the glory that would come with bearing arms

He told us of the happiness and victory we would find

But must he have forgotten all the guns that did us harm 

He told that the worthy war would taste of pride and honor

He told us that our god himself would shine upon the field 

The only faces I have found to truly show our achievement

Are my dead friends and brothers, and rewards still yet to yield

Brother told us we should sing, for aren't we so proud!

This is the cost of winter worlds and snowy days of white

This is the cost of sunny days, with frosted rosy cheeks

But perhaps we have only gained the fiercest dark of night

My sisters and my brothers and my friends have followed him

But I had yearned to stay behind and bury in the snow

But brother dear had pushed me on to the cold open field

And we did stain the winter drifts as red as bloody rose 

I tried my best to search the once cloudy field for my close

I dreamed to return to the simple days I had searched for

But snow it never did again among the alpine brush

And white still stained as deeply red as rusted iron ore

I was with my brothers when we once played in the snow

All swaddled in their knitted armor, embraced by the ice

We should have turned to find again our gabled, simple home

But followed into the red field once white as edelweiss

We fell into the cold embrace and stained the white snow red

Never again found the embrace of our simple, white homestead

Reviews

[Rick Puetter]

Very nice. One of the best of your works that I have read. Great subject matter and nicely execute form. A very good one!

Greatly enjoyed.

Best regards for the New Year!

Rick

[The Hampstead Poet]

Thank you very much for your exceedingly kind words. I am glad you enjoyed my piece. Best regards to you as well!