November Poem of the Month
The Women’s Land Army by Rose Perritt
A world of chaos, a world at war,
Destruction as never seen before,
A world of heartbreak, world of fear,
And misery so hard to bear.
Armies wrong, and Armies right,
Marching forth to kill and fight,
And lo, the toll of death was high.
An Army came, but not to kill,
Only hungry mouths to fill,
An Army clad in brown and green,
About the countryside was seen,
Around the farmyards, on the roads,
With horses, carrying heavy loads,
A women’s army, firm of hand,
Had come to conquer on the Land.
In lonely ones, or gangs together,
In strange fantastic English weather,
That never a moment may be lost,
In tearing winds and biting frost,
They tended livestock, planted seed,
Tilled, manured, conquered weed,
Picked potatoes, cabbage, beet,
So that England still could eat.
Now a world at peace, a world still mad,
A world all blasted, weary, sad,
A lot more hungry mouths to fill,
The green Army is needed still,
Little reward will come their way,
But beauty in their hearts will stay,
That comes to those that understand,
Love of a horse, the love of the land.
Rose Perritt (WLA 134339) served in Bedfordshire working for Bedfordshire War Agricultural Committee based at Cople Hostel
