Wednesday's Verse - Battle Ghosts

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This week’s verse moves from a science fiction verse about a fortune hunter learning a well-deserved lesson, to a fantasy verse about commemorating heroes. It is taken from Another 365 Days of Poetry, a collection of mixed-genre poetry released in 2019.

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Battle Ghosts


Long lie the ghosts in the skies and the fields,

Beneath clouds, stars and soil in the land they defended

where long ago, in hard battle, their lives they did yield.



They fought with their voices, with what they could wield

They fought with the tools that for peace were intended

Long lie the ghosts in the skies and the fields



No one ran; they all stayed when the warning bells pealed

Took up arms, kitchen tools, ploughs to swords were soon rendered,

and long ago, in hard battle, their lives they did yield.



They are memories, now, their fate is long-sealed

but we honour them still for they never surrendered,

and long lie the ghosts in the skies and the fields



They fought for our freedom, when from attackers they reeled,

outnumbered, determined, our victory hard-apprehended,

and long ago, in hard battle, their lives they did yield.



And now, in the peace of a land scarred but healed

We remember and honour them for the service they rendered

these long lying ghosts in the skies and the fields

who long ago, in hard battle, their lives they did yield.

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You can find the first two poetry collections at the links below - although there are plans to reissue them with more genre-appropriate covers in the future. The third collection will be released later in the year.


Location: Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

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