The Promotion Waltz

poem by: Josh Rogan
Written on Oct 26, 2016

The futility of war, and the crazy mentality which is part and parcel of such madness.

Like some other of my poems, this is both a poem and a song, if you want it to be. If you prefer the musical over the spoken, then any basic waltz time melody should fit, bar a little fine-tuning.


The Promotion Waltz

The Captain he danced with his wife one night.
He said, ‘Oh my dear, it will be all right;
‘I’ll get promotion, I’ll cause a commotion;
I’ll send all the young lads to fight.’

‘Oh my dear, it’s a lovely war.
Who cares who we’re fighting, details are a bore.
I’ll get promotion, I’ll cause a commotion;
I’ll send all the young lads to war.’

The Colonel he danced with his wife one day.
He said, ‘Oh my dear, it will be ok;
I’ve got my Station in Administration;
I won’t have to go to the fray.’

‘Oh my dear, it’s a lovely war.
Who cares who we’re fighting, details are a bore.
I’ll get promotion, I’ll cause a commotion;
I’ll send all the young lads to war.’

The General he danced with his wife one morn’.
He said, ‘Oh my dear, I feel so forlorn;
No more promotion, without a commotion;
They’ve called a ceasefire in the war’

‘Oh my dear, it’s a lovely war.
Who cares who we’re fighting, details are a bore.
I’ll get promotion, I’ll cause a commotion;
I’ll send all the young lads to war’

The Field Marshall danced
With his wife one night.
He said, ‘Oh my dear, it will be all right;
I’ve still got promotion, without a commotion;
And the young lads do not have to fight.’

‘Oh my dear, please do take my hand;
We’ve waltzed round this evening, one more it is planned.
At a minute a time, now three they are done;
After the last waltz then we will be. . . . ’

 

Tags: sad, metaphor, depressing, imagery,

 

 

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