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The Great Christmas Truce of 1914

Emdad Rahman

Monday, December 22nd, 2014

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Sub zero in the trenches of Armentieres
Amidst the ravaging spectacle of war
It’s the most unheard of events in years
A certain killer comes to the fore

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Putting aside the stench of the death tax
Then came much aerial bombardment
Cacophony of despair and poison gas attacks
Mustard gas sprayed with much resent

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 No guns and roses in the dressing room ring
No frenzied skipper in full swing
No chest thumping, head butting
Not wooden doors unhinging

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Lone German voices mixed with death’s moan
Joined in union with the English enemy
Only warm carols, silent, soft in tone
Echoing beyond the darkened stymie

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 Crossing no man’s land in hope and glory
‘Deutschland Uber Alles’ clanks like chains
‘We come in peace’; singing ‘Tipperary’
A change of wind blows across death’s plains

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Will there be a melee, a scrum or a brawl?
Bully beef swap for smokes as amity flows
Thus a Scot brings out a football
Braveheart wee willy Wallace’s face glows

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 Helmets for goals, no offside on dry ice
Chasing a sphere of peace, a free for all
‘Watch that gunge and detonating device!’
Marauding hunting packs chase that ball

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 No longer a faceless enemy clan
Mud football is today’s game plan
King George’s soldier hugs the Kaiser’s man
Each foe part of a peace plan

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 Hearty 3-2 win as Fritz beats Tommy
That so loathed, became for an instant, loved
Not a shot fired in this festive party
London & Bonn for a moment beloved

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 So sworn enemies unite merrily
Football the great healer shares it free
Hate, replaced so lovingly
Real men, they were truly gutsy

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 The dawn of Boxing day and Cap’n Stockwell’s three shots signal the end of the truce.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 Goodwill to all men.

13 Leave a comment on verse 13 0 © Emdad Rahman

© Emdad Rahman

Notes

An Austrian at Ypres called Adolf complains at such bizarre integration.

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-great-christmas-truce-of-1914-4/