April MGWAT

[Garside]

-Untitiled-

We landed on that barren beach,

Our proud heads held high,

The Australian spirit ours to preach,

Mateship and comradeship under a burning sky.

We landed on that fateful day,

In 1915,

Our day of reckoning, our baptism under fire you could say,

Enduring horrors none of us would have ever thought to see.

We of the 8th Light Horse,

Men as brave I ever did see,

Comrades true us men of the horse,

Those who fought at Gallipoli.

We were lead by Alexander White,

A more daring leader he could never have been,

We loved him Alexander, our friend, to lead us in our plight,

Prepared to lead us from the front without a loaded magazine.

We charged with bayonets glinting in the sun,

Heads held high he charged across the Nek,

The Turkish soldiers cocking their guns,

Not one of us faltered that day at the Nek.

Though we did fall,

I did not see one soldier shrink from death,

Goodbye Cobber was the resounding call,

As we went over the parapet, blood pumping in our chests.

We were met by a hailing storm of lead,

And much of us did fall,

Men I knew as cobbers, now turned to rotting dead,

Under a rising sun we charged, the Anzac spirit rising in a roar.

We men of the 8th Light Horse showed courage and bravery that day,

And though we fell we did so with pride,

Willing to die in the most glorious way,

My memory is with those of the Light Horse who died.

Bravest of the brave those men from the Nek,

I owe them the ultimate debt for they saved me those proud fighters,

Eternally remembered for their ultimate sacrifice fighting at deaths door,

Lest we forget those brave warriors, soldiers comrades, Anzacs.

Heres my contribution, first draft by the way,

Mitch,

All thoughts would be appreciated.

[Michael Johnson]

I'm going to have to pass this time out. Been a busy month, especially with tax returns to do. Gallipoli isn't an easy one for me to do - (I imagine the Aussies might have problems fnding inspiration if Vimy were the topic). I thought of doing something from an Indian Army perspective, but it never really came together.

[michaeldr]

I am so very pleased at the response this month: All contributions to be proud of.

If I read Tuomas' post #33 correctly: "break the rule of 'one-per-person'"

then it seems that I have disqualified myself, with my two entries

But it doesn't matter; I am proud to have been in such excellent company in this month's contest

Well done everyone, and thank you.

Best regards

Michael

[Michael Johnson]

The one-per-person rule has been in abeyance for several months.

[Ozzie]

Mitch well done! If you put that together in a couple of hours, you have done well for one so young!

Welcome to Art Topic.!

Micheal D , As Micheal J said.

Cheers

Kim

[Garside]

Thanks Ozzie, i should have an updated copy soon.

Mitch, By the way, can i resubmit an updated one?

[Ozzie]

You can either edit the original one or resubmit.

Cheers

Kim

What do other members think about this quesyion?

Kim

[Garside]

Ok, cool, ill edit it soon.

[Garside]

-No Mans Land-

We landed on that hellish place, the one they call Gallipoli,

Sheer cliffs rearing from the ground like demons out of hell, stretched as far as I could see.

Comrades took a last look at the ships rocking majestically out in the bay, then turned to mates, and said our goodbyes with a final clasp of the hand,

Then we raced across a land of fire, bullets, blood and death, they place they call no mans land.

We landed on that fateful day,

Our eyes aglow with courage, our spirit on display.

Then shockingly a bullet took one of us, he lay bleeding, slain.

Not to rise here, nor ever again.

We of the 8th Light Horse,

Comrades true us men of this bloody course,

A band of brothers as heroic I ever did see,

Those who fought at Gallipoli.

The Anzac spirit guided us through the landing,

Of courage, of mateship a spirit so outstanding.

We of the Anzacs never did lose hope,

For a time of victory, a time when we could cope.

For even the strongest were falling in those months,

Sickness, snipers, shells, bleeding into shallow graves.

The flies were like a plague,

Their putrid young defiling the bodies of those lying alone on the plain.

We charged with bayonets glinting in the sun,

The Turkish soldiers cocking their guns,

Heads held high we charged across the Nek,

Not one of us faltered that day at Anzac.

Though we did fall, our spirits stayed at hand,

Goodbye Cobber was the resounding call as we struck out the land of blood, of slaughter, no mans land.

I did not see one soldier shrink from death,

As we went over the parapet, blood pumping in our chests.

We were met by a hailing storm of lead,

Men I knew as cobbers, now turned to rotting dead,

Though many of us did fall with left a legacy, an echoing cry,

Under a rising sun we charged, the Anzac spirit rising in a roar, under that burning sky.

We men of the 8th Light Horse showed courage and bravery that day,

Willing to die in the most glorious way,

And though we fell we did so with pride,

My memory is with those of the 8th Light Horse who died.

Bravest of the brave those men from the Nek,

Eternally remembered for their ultimate sacrifice fighting at deaths door,

I owe them the ultimate debt for they saved me those proud fighters,

Lest we forget those brave warriors, soldiers comrades, Anzacs.

Mitch

If the one per person rule is not in force then can i submit both of my other poems in Haunting Memories, so far two of my poems can be found in the topic in the War Art forum.

[Landsturm]

Thanks to all participants! Great entries! I'll put up the poll later tonight.

Please, someone put the May MGWAT in motion.

[Ozzie]

Michealdr??? May Topic, please???

Cheers

[Garside]

Yes please, may topic, so i can write more poems yay!

Mitch

[Gunboat]

A great entry mitch well done and welcome to MGWAT look forward to everyones entries for next month.

[Landsturm]

If I read Tuomas' post #33 correctly: "break the rule of 'one-per-person'"

then it seems that I have disqualified myself, with my two entries

Don't worry, I included your 2nd entry into the poll, since I think it was the better of the two.

Same goes to Veritas's work, one-per-person is the rule. But I think entries, where individual works together are seen as a series, should be accepted. Like in my case, my "Gallipoli Landing"-series (part 1, 2 & 3). See it this way in future MGWATs, if you're productive and creative It's always a pleasure to see more WW1-artwork. All agree?

Only reason for disqualification, in my opinion, would be submitting someone else's artwork and violating copyrights.

[Gunboat]

I agree Lands I think that is a sensible approach

[michaeldr]

Thanks for stretching the rules here Pals.

re the May topic; I'll have to take a rain-check on that Kim

You've caught me by surpise this morning

Best regards

Michael