1. War Poetry Jack Ryan, Chris Perrott, Josh Kidger & Ryan Hellings

2. Why It Might Have Been Written Soldiers in the World Wars might have used poetry to escape what was around them. Soldiers in the World Wars might have used poetry to escape what was around them. It could have been a way of expressing themselves. It could have been a way of expressing themselves. It might have been something they sent to their families or friends. It might have been something they sent to their families or friends. Often people had no choice to joining the war so it could have been what people wanted to do before the war started. Often people had no choice to joining the war so it could have been what people wanted to do before the war started.

3. The Dragon and Undying All night the flares go up; the Dragon sings And beats upon the dark with furious wings; And, stung to rage by his own darting fires, Reaches with grappling coils from town to town; He lusts to break the loveliness of spires, And hurls their martyred music toppling down. Yet, though the slain are homeless as the breeze, Vocal are they, like storm-bewilder'd seas. Their faces are the fair, unshrouded night, And planets are their eyes, their ageless dreams. Tenderly stooping earthward from their height, They wander in the dusk with chanting streams, And they are dawn-lit trees, with arms up-flung, To hail the burning heavens they left unsung. By Siegfried Sassoon

4. Suicide In The Trenches I knew a simple soldier boy Who grinned at life in empty joy, Slept soundly through the lonesome dark, And whistled early with the lark. In winter trenches, cowed and glum, With crumps and lice and lack of rum, He put a bullet through his brain. No one spoke of him again... You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye Who cheer when soldier lads march by, Sneak home and pray you'll never know The hell where youth and laughter go. By Siegfried Sassoon

5. Our Poems

6. Bang bang, Why do we shoot each other down? I don’t know you, You don’t know me, We both have loving families. All this crap they tell us, All this rubbish I am forced to do, I just really don’t want to kill you. I have a life, So do you, Why can’t I just get along with you? When you were 7, And I was 6, We had dreams of being someone. Now here we are, Face to face; Gun in arm, Blood on chest; So is what I’ve come to, And so have you. Jack’s Poem – Bang Bang

7. Jack’s Poem - Execution I am a good man, I do what I’m told, And that I am loyal, For I do not deserve this fate. For when I die, I want you to know, That I am not a coward, And that I didn’t back down. You see, I could never kill a man in cold blood But war is a cruel game, That cold day came: I had to execute my own man. We all lined up with guns drawn; I walked up to his helpless body, There he is. But I can hear him begging. I couldn’t do it, He is just like me. So I drop my gun And gritted my teeth.

8. Josh’s Poem - Reality I felt something fly past my ear, “The Germans! They're here!” My hands shook as I rung the bells, My heart beat like a drum as I gathered my shells. “Grenade!” Shouted a man, And that is when it began. Gunfire filled the air, All I could do was stand and stare. Screams of pain were all around me, Dust smoke and bodies were all I could see. I locked the door and hid in a corner, I felt my end coming sooner and sooner. Tears flew down my face, As I felt such a disgrace. Why am I such a filthy coward? I could hear the gunfire moving forward. And then I believed in my fathers story, The was isn't all about glory

9. Chris’ Poem – Why and War Blood pouring from his chest, Screaming in pain. He was my friend, He was the best. At first I thought he was joking. Save me is what he said, “Put me in a hospital bed”. All the training we’d been through, The thing that we dreaded had come true. I tried to save his life, But found he was dying, I can’t cope with all this is what I said, so I started crying. When we took him away, We’d really had enough for the day. We can’t stand all this stress. My friend was in great distress. But what I really came here to do was, Just fight for my country. I heard something in the distance, The thundering of boots coming closer and closer ‘Get down’, the officer shouted Suddenly I saw figures in the distance The sound of gunfire flooded the area This is when I realised this WAS dangerous. With me in the trenches, I was ordered to take cover All I heard was gunfire A body suddenly fell down into the trench Screaming at first, then silent He was dead I felt so helpless I wanted to go out there and help my country, I was forced to stay put I realised I made the wrong decision Going to war..? How stupid was I?

10. Thank You