ES - The War That Got Washed Away

[Sam Milligan]

I was struck (as I sometimes am) by my Muse on the drive home from the 
War, and the following humble offering was the result.

Padraig


The War That Got Washed Away
Padraig Ruad O’Maolagain

The call went a-far throughout Ansteorra
That the levies were needed for war
So we came at command for our King and our land
To do battle as we’d done before
We traveled through night and arrived in the light
In the heartland of Meridies
But when we got there, we found to our despair
That the War went and got washed away

It was sunny and dry on the day we arrived
And we busily set up our tents
Then we wandered the site, biding time ‘til the fight
While the waiting became more intense
In the evening we sang, in the sweet air a tang
>From the campfires burning so bright
And the stories were told of the brave and the bold
As we shared the Dream far into the night

On the morning of battle we awoke to the rattle
Of thunder and rain on the camp
So we tried to stay dry and awaited a sign
That there might be an end to the damp
The King sent the word to don helm and sword
And to gather that he might review
But to start on the fighting while surrounded by lightning
Was not something we wanted to do

Still the rain carried on, and before all that long
Many people decided to flee
They packed and they left, and soon we were bereft 
Of an army to call enemy
We decided to hold through the wet and the cold 
And we kept the old coffeepot warm
Still the rain did come down, making mud of the ground
‘Til, too late, came a pause in the storm

When Court came that night, the tent was packed tight
The pavilion was filled to the walls
And we let loose a roar for brave Ansteorra
That the Gods must have heard in their halls
King Gunther declared that we had the points there
But still called a draw in the play
And we didn’t mind if they called it a tie
For we knew who had gone and who stayed

So we got out our songs and we sang the night long
And we toasted our King and our Queen
Although we weren’t dry, still our spirits were high
The revels were a joy to be seen
We shared out our best then with all of the rest
And pledges were taken and said
Our hearts were made glad and no one still felt sad
When we finally sought out our beds

We packed up in the rain and got wet yet again
But of water we have little fear
And we all shared the joke that although we got soaked 
We can’t wait for Gulf Wars next year
So this then the tale of the rain and the hail
That did guile us and got in our way
Though the waters did run, still we did have some fun
At the Gulf War that got washed away

-- 
'When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'I
always pay it extra.'
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