Across these broken windows,
I look out at a world not mine,
But was once mine; Before the Great War,
Uprooted my family; taking away my life’s sunshine!

It were the Germans, invading France,
As I stood in the courtyard, unhesitant,
Noticed a shell drop on my house,
All my happiness snatched in an instant.

‘Father!’, was the last word of my dying daughter,
Whom despite all efforts, I could not save!
My wife, my daughter, my family gone,
Couldn’t even bury them in a grave!

The war ended, peace prevailed,
Returning to the house, the dark secret does make me whine;
My daughter’s last word, echoes in my ears, in the house,
“Why, why didn’t I…?”, disturbs me this very line.

My house holds memories, it holds a secret,
The one mistake that took down a family that once did thrive.
The mistake, this secret shall remain with me,
Of a daughter, a wife, who couldn’t survive!

I look out through the broken panes,
My heart sinks as I live each lonely day,
The sky’s the same, but the war has changed it all,
My mistake, My fate is all I have to say!

.    .    .