In the battle's prologue
Many a common man, woman and child had said
Goodbye to work and love and play
A child surprised in the door way
An old man stretched in the street
A young man near a lamp post
Which he had clutched when the bullet struck him
And down which he had clip when he died
His curiously white face containing
Wide eyes staring upwards
As if asking the sky : why this had happened
A stiff arm still half-encircling the lamp standard
A young lacy in holiday attire
Lying on her face maybe hurrying home
When she heard the uproar
But going too slow...
Or on the brilliant white blouse
A purple patch of death
Spreading over the middle of the back
You signed no proclamation
You invaded no building
You pulled no trigger
I know
I know but Ireland needed you all the same
Many will die like that
Before Ireland can go free.
Many a common man, woman and child had said
Goodbye to work and love and play
A child surprised in the door way
An old man stretched in the street
A young man near a lamp post
Which he had clutched when the bullet struck him
And down which he had clip when he died
His curiously white face containing
Wide eyes staring upwards
As if asking the sky : why this had happened
A stiff arm still half-encircling the lamp standard
A young lacy in holiday attire
Lying on her face maybe hurrying home
When she heard the uproar
But going too slow...
Or on the brilliant white blouse
A purple patch of death
Spreading over the middle of the back
You signed no proclamation
You invaded no building
You pulled no trigger
I know
I know but Ireland needed you all the same
Many will die like that
Before Ireland can go free.
×
![]()
Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
