Once More

Upon the news, my dear friends are going once more
Not asking why, just going to do and die;

For England or for America
It matters not to me,
For the King, God, or democracy
It matters not to me,
From the French, barbarians, or jihadists
It matters not to me;

Do not mistaken my tone for one that is soft
Indeed there are times to fight,
And in such fight we must;
Let none have delusional fancies
About a global camp fire sing-along;

But rare it seems, rare, rare such a fight
Not led by gain or national fame,
But to survive in peace
To defend and take a stance
For peace, not gain;
The world is not a board and war is not a game
Men are not toys and to ask them to be is criminality;

I doubt that many of our fights are of such a kind
No, they are not what I have in mind;

I pray for a peaceful and quite life
Godly and dignified in every way;
For a hand in Iraqi oil
I care not,
For missiles in Eastern Europe
I care not,
To expand our trade by war
I care not,
I care only for silence
The silence of a peaceful morning,
I care for peace and for life
And I care for no one to say
“Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more”,
Let generations be marked by peace, not war;
The imperialistic gain is not worth it,
Better is a long life in peace,
And so not because I am a coward
Or that I would not fight to defend,
But because I am tired of hearing once more
And not knowing what for.