It was just before dawn
one miserable morning in black '44
when the forward commander
was told to sit tight
when he asked that his men be withdrawn
and the generals gave thanks
as the other ranks
held back the enemy tanks for a while
and the anzio bridghead was held for the price
of a few hundred ordinary lives
And kind old king george sent mother a note
when he heard that father was gone
it was, i recall, in the form of a scroll
with gold leaf and all
and i found it one day
in a drawer of old photographs, hidden away
and my eyes still grow damp
to remember
that his majesty signed
with his own rubber stamp
It was dark all around
there was frost in the ground
when the tigers broke free
and no one survived from the royal fusiliers, company c
they were all left behind
most of them dead
the rest of them dying
and that's how the high command
took my daddy from me