THE KAISER’S CALL

I didn’t want to fight but the Kaiser said to go so I did but I didn’t want to leave the farm and my mother and father and the animals and who would plow and plant? But I did leave with a lunch mother packed and my cap and jacket and stick. My dog had to stay behind.

The day was good, just a little breeze and the green was just coming in and I had boots to walk in so my feet weren’t too tired.

After I got to the war they gave me a gun and a different hat and jacket.

One day I was looking for something to eat and I found a farm that was a lot like my farm and there was a strong pretty girl. She let me stay in the barn in the hay. I wanted her to stay with me but she wanted to leave so I took her and pushed her down and did what I wanted to. She cried and wasn’t very happy.

Now I know it wasn’t right and I’m sorry. I don’t know if there was a baby but she was so pretty and soft and I was strong and I wanted to. I hope she doesn't hate me.

Anyway, later it was raining and gray and all the mud we dug up just kept falling back on us. And then a yellow cloud blew in. I coughed and coughed and couldn’t breathe and my lungs turned to water and then I was dead lying across the mud.

I didn’t want to go to the war. I didn’t want to leave our farm. But the Kaiser said I should so I went and I met a pretty girl and I wish she was my wife and we had a farm together with a wedding and lots of geese to make a soft feather bed.

Copyright c 1997,2004 by Jane Candace Bullard

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