The Ballad of Billy Yank

I'm Billy Yank,
that's what they say,
but I was wondering,
what is that anyway.

The midwest it is,
where I come from,
I work on my farm,
same as Johnny has done.
I'm told that I must,
shoot Rebels down,
though what is a Rebel,
but a man from the South.

I imagine him to be,
a man the same as me,
with no choice left,
but to protect his family.

And I hate it now
I just want to say,
hurting women and children,
while their husbands are away,

Then the look in Johnny's eyes,
as I cock my gun,
he knows the ends coming,
frozen there too scared to run.

Maybe Soon it might be me,
frozen still,
and can't breath,
no I don't like this at all,
this war that had to be.

So I'm writing this down
today just in case,
I should loose my life,
laying here to waste,

A man is a man,
soldiers all we be,
North or South,
it matters not to me,

And I Billy Yank,
say to Johnny Rebel this day,
God be with you,
I will forever Pray!

Author Notes

when reading and learning about history, and living our daily lives, sometimes, we forget, that the other side, is human too....

© Dawn Michelle. All rights reserved, 2009