The Darkest Hour

The Darkest Hour

“Hold back until the whites of their eyes

Shine through the darkness to the wise!”

The soldiers feared their sergeant lost

For they were surrounded by,

Not white but red eyes of their unwelcome host.

Many fled with terrible dread

And those who stayed knew they were dead.

“Wait until the first sunlight,

Before we step into this fight.”

And so in mud-filled trenches they waited through the starless night.

In cold endurance they supped their rations

While rain fell down upon them in relentless fashion.

The dark was deep and endless run

The soldier’s solace, lay in his gun.

“Get ready, men. Soon we will go.

In honour, wisdom, and the world will know

Our numbers few, we did not cower

We died for good, in this darkest hour.”

They waited through the darkest night

To take the order, that sent them into fight.

Hand in hand in conflict’s arms

Through vales of death, through tears of veils,

They lay, wretched, defeated,

Soldiers of the Quest of Psalms

The darkest hour fell onto them.

And they knew their time was done.

©️2015 Lorraine Poulter