Going to the Wars"

Yes, of course it was sin
And no Christ would say 'Fight
For the right' -
But we had to win.

When the chaplain would bluster and blow
About laying the rod
Of God
On the back of 'his foe'.

I knew it was all just a form
And there was no fiery sword
And the Lord
Was not in the storm.

Yet - to have stood aside
Hoarding my fortunate life
With my wife
While the other men died!

Some sort of god, good or bad,
Would have kept me longing in vain
To be slain
As I am, if I had.

C.E. Montague

Montague was an English journalist and veteran of the First World War - my brother Al passed this on to me. An excerpt from his memoir, Disenchantment, is found at the wonderful AftermathWW1 website.