THE CULT OF THE HERO

'Eroes? Ha!You don't know the 'arf of it!
Sittin' at 'ome, thinkin' war's a game!
most of us wouldn't be 'ere, we wasn't conned
"By Christmas" is gettin' lame...

"Don't want t' lose you--we think you ought t' go"?
Huh! You want this hell f' your son?
Think the Fritz's are runnin' scared?
Or the enemy's the side we're not on?

P'rhaps y' mean the officers?
Them what carry little while we trudge,
What live in dug outs: proper food an' roofs?
We sleep in sludge

Or is it 'The Glorious Dead'?
They got it cos orders was cruel:
Came out cos it was 'duty'
Else face the fire Squad's bitter rule

'Eroes?! D' you include the shell-hocked lad?
Nah--you fix him 'Coward' by your score
Yet he's the one that "'ero" can address--
he stood that line 'til he could take no more

"Gallant warriors? Glorious! Ha- you mock
Each wave of blokes that filed past here t'day!
To sons role models you would 'ave us be--
Well tell 'em --take our word an' stay away!