IT WAS DECEMBER 16, 1944 AT AN EARLY HOUR
WHEN THE EARTH SHOOK AND THE SKY RAINED FIRE.
AND THROUGH BELGIUM WOOD'S THE GERMANS CAME
TWICE IN THIS WAR IT BEGAN THEIR GAME.
IN 1940 THEIR PANZERS CAME THIS WAY
AND MADE THE FRENCH AND BRITISH PAY.

THAT TIME IT WAS A WARM AND SUNNY DAY
THIS TIME COLD, SNOW AND WINTER GREY.
AT FIRST THE AMERICAN ARMY WAS SHOVED ASIDE
THOSE THAT FOUGHT ARE THOSE THAT DIED.
AS THE SNOW BEGAN THE EARTH TO HIDE
ANGELS LOOKED DOWN AND CRIED.

WE LIVED IN HOLES FILLED WITH ICE AND SNOW
AT NIGHT NO FIRE TO SHED A WARM GLOW.
THE ENEMY COULD SEE OUR LINES ACROSS THE WAY
SOON HE WOULD COME AND MAKE US PAY.
YES HE WOULD MAKE US RUE THE DAY
WE DUG OUR FOXHOLES IN BELGIUM CLAY.

WE RETREATED BECAUSE WE WERE TO FEW TO FIGHT
OUR WOUNDED DIED IN THE COLD EACH NIGHT.
WE WERE DIRTY AND COLD OUR RATIONS GAVE OUT
BUT ALWAYS COMING TO US WERE THE KRAUT'S.
THEN BEHIND US IN A PLACE CALLED BASTOGNE
WE DISCOVERED WE WERE NO LONGER ALONE.

YOUNG AIRBORNE TROOPS, SPOILING FOR A FIGHT
THEY FORMED A LINE AND MADE IT TIGHT.
THE GERMANS CAME AND COULDN'T GO AROUND
THE ROADS WERE CLOSED THEY SOON FOUND.
THEY TRIED TO PASS OVER OPEN GROUND
THAT'S WHEN OUR GUNS CUT THEM DOWN.

THEY ATTACKED WHERE ANGELS FEARED TO TREAD
OUR GUNS SNARLED AND THE SKY TURNED RED.
THE SOUND AND FURY WAS SOMETHING TO DREAD
FOR MANY DAY'S THE GERMAN WEHRMACHT BLED.
AT THE BATTLES END, NO TEARS WERE SHED
WE WATCHED THE SNOW BLANKET THEIR DEAD.

BASTOGNE EARNED A NAME THE IN HISTORY PAGES
IT WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR UNTOLD AGES.
BECAUSE BRAVE MEN STRUGGLED FOR THIS GROUND
THEIR BLOOD THEIR SOULS ARE STILL AROUND.
AND WHILE WRITING THIS POEM I FOUND
I CAN STILL SEE THOSE MEN FALLING DOWN.

~~~ Elmer H. Ake ~~~
1925 - 2007
©