As my face reflects Behind enemy lines Yet separated by Barbwire and mines Knee deep in freezing mud Best "pals" breath I tried to regain The worst factor is, not knowing Of the time that remains Contamination dashes in a bloody trench Poetry written amongst shrapnel and friends Sanity buckles under the weight Of steel and spraying lead Howitzers toll an ominous death knell Ear-splitting elegy above those who fell Corruption seeks a lonesome trace Gangrenous limbs or a blown off face Amputation in the killing field Infection overcomes, affection concealed Puppets of war race over the edge Commence death dance at close quarters Hope of truce torn and bloodstained A thousand lives lost and only twenty yards gained As battle tires out And bombing starts to die Dead soldiers all around With fear injected into their eyes 400.000 Britain's dead 600.000 Germans put to rest Fallen in the battle of Somme One million youngsters dead and gone