»Æ¹ÏµÎµÎapp Boarding students and staff at the ANZAC Day Dawn Service, ANZAC Park, The Strand.
There Was a Year Once
By Anneliese Stillwell – Year 8
There was a year once, Â
And is a year still,Â
When the sun’s light ceased to shine,Â
And left a place that nothing could a-fill. Â
There was a year once,Â
And is a year still,Â
When the hearts of mothers and daughters a-wept,Â
For places a-lost that could never be filled. Â
Many a hero fell unpraised,Â
Many a father would never be raised. Â
Many a champion would go enclaved,Â
Silenced once and forever by a poppy-red grave. Â
The world bled that year,Â
It bled and bleads still. Â
Weather it was open wounds on battle fields,Â
Or hearts that didn’t cease to spill. Â
Many a brave soul was called home,Â
Many a soldier left their body of bones. Â
For fathers, sons, husbands and friends,Â
The world would cry out, and cry it does still. Â
There was a year once,Â
And is a year still,Â
When the hearts of mothers and daughters a-wept,Â
For places a-lost that could never be filled.Â
Many a hero fell unpraised,Â
Many a father would never be raised. Â
Many a champion would go enclaved,Â
Silenced once and forever by a poppy-red grave.Â
In the morning, they rose a-ready,Â
Many a sleepless night they marched on a-weary.Â
With endurance they fought on,Â
And in courage they faced the fields they would fall upon. Â
From the playing of the bugle, Â
To the fall of restless heads upon pillows,Â
Our brave men fought on and on,Â
Even in the midst of the gathering billows. Â
The hearts of their loved ones raged another battle. Â
 One of doubt, and pain, and – oh- endless heartbreak. Â
Theirs was a battle that made many a steady breath a-rattle,Â
Caught on emotions of which suppression was the not the only sprattle. Â
There was a year once,Â
And is a year still,Â
When the hearts of mothers and daughters a-wept,Â
For places a-lost that could never be filled.Â
Many a hero fell unpraised,Â
Many a father would never be raised. Â
Many a champion would go enclaved,Â
Silenced once and forever by a poppy-red grave.Â
And so now, on this day, almost a century a-since,Â
We will pause, we will recall, we will honour many-a princeÂ
For they didn’t need a title, nor royal descent,Â
To be the greatest men and soldiers that this world will ever a-let.
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