Fifth Brigade

Margaret V.Doran

We are the young and fearless Fifth Brigade
This battle was our glorious debut
Our orders are to scale the colonnade

We lost a hundred men at the blockade
My life is forfeit ere this night is through
We are the young and fearless Fifth Brigade

Our losses greater still from cannonade
A shroud awaits, it hovers in my view
Our orders are to scale the colonnade

Why is there no guard at the balustrade?
My family I shall never bid adieu
We are the young and fearless Fifth Brigade

The Major says there is no ambuscade
Yet as we marched we noticed he withdrew
Our orders are to scale the colonnade

The dawn will find us in a death parade
My comrades dear I'll meet in rendezvous
We are the young and fearless Fifth Brigade
Our orders are to scale the colonnade

Copyright © 1997 Margaret V. Doran. All rights reserved.
If you enjoyed this poem, please send her an e-mail here.

This poetry form is called a "Villanelle."
Here are more poems in this same form:
Janet | Kids | Letting Go | Love Song

Updated July 1, 1999
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