Old men reminisce on their campaigns and wars
But no one remembers the Battle of Mars.
Of crucial importance in ruling the sky
No man wants to live there, but men went to die.
They died in their thousands so we sent thousands more
To stain Rugged Red ever redder with gore.
Old men scribble reams on their campaigns and wars
But no one spills ink on the Battle of Mars.
Formidable castle commanding the plain
The Nix was assaulted again and again.
Through dust and through craters the mars-rovers roamed
Spilling blood on the soil which bubbled and foamed.
From their campaigns and battles old men show their scars
But no one trades wounds from the Battle of Mars.
While on Earth loved ones prayed as they gazed out in space
Oh! Bring the boys back from that terrible place!
But for all that she wept and implored for his life
Not a soldier came home to the arms of his wife.
Let them sing their vain songs about victories in wars
There are no tunes of glory from the Battle of Mars.
And when weapons fell silent and death lay around
From Victory’s trumpet came forth not a sound.
There’s none can recall how the battle got started
For victor and vanquished alike have departed.
Let generals proclaim that there’s honour in wars
There’s nothing but shame from the Battle of Mars.
We pick up the pieces to this very day
The war’s not been fought that blows problem away.
But with every new battle, new issues unfold
To stand alongside towering over the old.
Let us never forget as we sail for the stars
That the voyage began with the battle for Mars.
Based on: The Titan Kiss : Appendix E
Whitby Writers Group 