Poem: War and Peace: difficulties encountered while researching horrors of war
I was watching a video, and then decided I better get started on Napoleon for a story I'm writing for Fanfiction--and Bob told me, I could still listen to it, while I punched up Google, and looked up the war of 1812. Sure enough..but then, I couldn't concentrate too well on Napoleon--so I decided, shoot, why don't I turn the whole thing into a poem?
"The first time..."
...sitting in the ashes of a ruined city, without
having received the Russian captitulation
"that ever I saw your face..."
...Napoleon started his retreat. At the Battle of Masloyaroslavets,
Kutuzov was able to force
"I thought the sun rose in your eyes,":
...the French army into using the very same scorched
Smolensk road on which they had earlier moved East,
"and the moon and stars were the gifts you gave"
...continuing to block the southern flank to prevent
them from retuning by a different route.
"to the dark and the empty skys, my love,"
...Kutuzov again employed guerilla tactics
to constantly strike at the french trail
"to the dark and the empty skies."
"The first time..."
...where it was weakest. Light Russian cavelry,
including mounted Russian Cossaks,
"that ever I lay with you"
...assaulted and shattered isolated French units.
Supplying the army becasme an impossibility--
"and felt your heart beat close to mine"
...-the lack of grass weakened
the army's remaining horses,
"I thought our joy would fill the earth"
...almost all of which died or were killed
for food by the starving soldiers.
"and last till the end of time, my love,"
...With no horses, the French cavalry
ceased to exist,
"and last till the end of time."
"The first time..."
...and cavalrymen were forced to march on foot,
As starvation and disease took their toll.
"that ever I kissed your mouth"
...the desertion rate soared.
Most of the deserters were taken prisoner
"I felt the earth turn in my hand"
... or prompty executed
by Russian peasants.
"like the trembling heart of a captive bird"
...The crossing of the river Berezina
brought about another defeat
"that was there at my command, my love,"
...as Kutuzov, deciding that the time was right for
an open battle, attacked and crushed
"that was there at my command."
...the part of the French army
that had not yet made it
"The first time..."
...across the bridge.
"that ever i saw your face."
, -- Ewan McColl and "the invasion of Russia by Napoleon,"--Wikapedia, both slightly edited.
So, if ever you read my little story, maybe you'll appreciate the difficultyI had researching it...