CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES (CHRISTMAS TIME)

CHRISTMAS IN THE TRENCHES


WE MET AFTER THE WAR
FRITZ AND I
WE WERE LUCKY
SO MANY DID NOT SURVIVE

WE AGREED
IF LEADERS HAD TO FIGHT
ALONG WITH THE MEN
THERE’D BE LESS WAR

OH WHEN THEY KILLED A FRIEND
WE’D BE ANGRY AT THEM

BUT MOST OF THE TIME
IT WAS TWO GROUPS OF MEN
SHARING THE MUCK

SO ON CHRISTMAS EVE
ONE GROUP STARTED SINGING
THE OTHER RESPONDED
THE WARMTH OF THE SOUND
DREW BOTH SIDES TOGETHER

SOON WE WERE SINGING
AND LAUGHING TOGETHER
EXCHANGING CIGARETTES
AND CHOCOLATE
GIFTS FOR A KING

I HADN’T JOINED THE ARMY TO FIGHT
BUT FOR THREE SQUARE MEALS
AND A ROOF
IT WAS HARD TIMES

OH WE’D YELL GROSS JOKES AT THEM
THEY’D YELL BACK
THE ROUGH HUMOR OF MEN
WITHOUT WOMEN TO CIVILIZE THEM

I LOOKED AT FRITZ
AND WONDERED WHY
WE HAD TRIED TO KILL EACH OTHER

WHAT VANITY
TOLD US
WE MUST SHED BLOOD

WHAT INSANE LOGIC OF OUR LEADERS
TOLD US
WE MUST SHED BLOOD

WHAT PIECE OF LAND
IS SO VALUABLE
WE MUST SHED BLOOD

ALONG WITH CHRIST ON THE CROSS
I YELL OUT
WHY


FRANK A VOLLMER