Water and Shore-Villanelle

We were children, brother, water and shore.
Indistinct, like the grains we walked on then.
That time is gone, we are children no more

Born a year a part, one year, and no more
Never separate, from boys to mock men
We were children, brother, water and shore.

Our senior year they said make plans, be sure.
We said to the coast, we will go my friend.
That time is gone, we are children no more.

A man in Dress Blues, spoke country and corps
You believed him, signed your life with his pen
We were children, brother, water and shore.

His tongue made no mention of blood and war
In youth we stormed beaches, bullets-pretend.
That time is gone, we are children no more.

Now sand and no water, tainted not pure
There was a time with nothing to defend
We were children, brother, water and shore.
That time is gone, we are children no more.