A Tarnished Crown

They came with robes of mercy, hands that promised aid, Their banners bore a sigil of a golden charade. Soft words flowed like rivers, through the thirsty soil, Promising deliverance, an end to all the toil. Beneath the praise, a hunger stirred, unseen and well-concealed, With every cheer and every chant, the truth began to yield. A voice so sweet it dulled the edge, A veil that hid the price they pledged. Off to war! Off to war we go! The hero's song becomes a snare, When virtue bends to cruel despair. And we march! We march on! To bury our brothers beneath the dawn. They marched beneath the banners, their colours bright and bold, With armour gleaming in the light, and tales of glory told. But step by step, the fields grew dark, the songs began to fade, And every victory left behind the lives they could not save. The veils of truth reveal, bonds unwind, The lines of right and wrong confined. Each vow they spoke, a bitter jest, Each step they took laid peace to rest. The battlefield, a stage of strife, Where hopes erode and honour wanes. No victors here, just silence near, The march begins, the end is clear. A voice so sweet it dulled the edge, A veil that hid the price they pledged. Off to war! Off to war we go! The hero's song becomes a snare, When virtue bends to cruel despair. And we march! We march on! To bury our brothers beneath the dawn. And we march! We march on! Just on and on and on......