Kalaniot

 
Once a war begins it never truly ends  
never,  
lads singing in their dusty tone 'Kalaniot'    
at the trucks, at the soldiers, at the mice and men.
Have posies.
Kalaniot.  
Red for their caps and a black centre for their hearts.  
Anemone coronaria.   
Anemone coronaria.   
Black like your heart.  
Red as your coat, hat, shoes, socks, hair.  
My name? Poppy anemone  
stolen from the bed of remembrance and sung  
from the top  
of a lads lungs.    
Kalaniot strong soldier  
Kalaniot.  
In the western world I am memory,  
in the eastern, I am the happy tune with the dark undertone.  
How can one with so much subtly...  
Kalaniot, my friend.  
Kalaniot.