We walked apart, in company,

Down a narrow shadowed lane,

Through verdant green and grey of trees,

As though we walked in sympathy,

Past flowers kissed by rain,

The sun, the clouds, the bees,

A drowsy heat brought on our dreams,

That took us far from here,

But still we lifted heavy feet 

And splashed through gentle streams,

Alarming then a lonely deer,

Which leaped in air in quick retreat.

Our rifles at the ready,

We watched its bounding run,

One man laughed, then, startled, cried,

As cracks came sharp – then steady-

From their automatic gun-

A cry which echoed as we died.

A silence fell, the flowers bled,

The earth absorbed our blood,

While spectres rose, of hate and death,

To mock the lonely dead, 

That lay where once we all had stood,

And drew our final breath.