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. . . . ’