At The Legion Hall Poem by Michael Pruchnicki

Old boys sitting on barstools singing
Captain tends bar - neon shines on bald pate
flags and replicas hang on the walls
once they wore navy blue and army green
now they slump and stare -

'From the halls of Montezuma!
Anchors aweigh! We sail at break of day! '

'Gory, Gory! What a helluva way to die!
'Get a line honey! I'll get a pole honey honey! '
Count the brave! Count the true!
Count cadence loud and strong!

Half way down the trail to hell
in a shady green meadow
the souls of dead troopers
lie camped in bivouac forever more!

Gory, Gory! What a helluva way to die!