On The Rhine's Horizon | Teen Ink

On The Rhine's Horizon

April 3, 2019
By Thector1028 GOLD, Saint Cloud, Florida
Thector1028 GOLD, Saint Cloud, Florida
13 articles 6 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." -Friedrich Nietzsche


A man without purpose will wander, aimless yet content.
A man without freedom will ponder
As if life were a test

Yet in this state of weary despair a lamp post light will shine
And signal the time the fight will come across the river Rhine

The boats will rumble and men will grumble and sneer at such a sight
For pensive fear is best masked by an overbearing might

For as the dogs fly overhead
Children still fly their kites
And reel in bed the moment comes
The sirens blare at night

The women shed their sweat and tears
In mass producing halls
As they distract themselves from fear
Their men and boys will fall

It's in this time of stress and pain
They will stand ever tall
For a woman unbeknownst to man
Can heed the urgent call

On the front the war will wage
In trenches dug out wide
Shooting flames of burning rage
Killing on every side

And in the smoke that blinds the eyes
Of soldiers in the dust
They choke on patriotic lies
That war now is a must

And as the ashen fog had shifted
One question remained
Among the bodies that were lifted
Who had known their names

It's in this time of death and dark
A man can loose his wits
But those who dare to play the part
Return in bags of bits

But now the war has come to close
And all is good just as before
But as the signs of peace grow old
The rain of death will pour once more


The author's comments:

I wrote this peice one night after I finished reading a text on the transition between the first and second world wars. I wanted to portray the brutality and confusion of it all while still emphasizing the resilience of the American people to endure through such turbulent times.


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