WHISPERS FROM A FALLEN EAGLE

Tomorrow I say
Goodbye to my wife.
I will strap on my caligula,
My helmet, my pack
Turn my back
On putrid Rome.

The Quarter Master
Gave me a dented
Helmet, with the felt
Rotted and mended
And when I complained
He politely explained:
"You Capita Cenci
Arse want to walk
In and make
Demands?
You want comfort,
Something
To fit just right?
You go
To the Subburra
Get yourself fucked
There instead;
Here you lucky
I don't break your
bloody head!"

So I left
And here...
Pour me another!

Yes, tomorrow
I say goodbye to my wife.
We headed North,
North with Valerius,
Cause Augustus
He is taking
This measuring
Up to his Daddy
Real serious.

But Caesar, now!
There was a man!
Ate with us,
Marched with us,
Fought and bled with us.
Once he even joined us
In this place in Alexandria...

Never mind that!
He was a man.
Him?
I would have followed
To any land.

These Germans, now...
They not like the Gauls,
Or the Italians,
Good warrior folks.

These blokes
Won't shame us
Under a yoke:
If we lose
They take
Our heads off
With a single stroke.

So tomorrow I say
Goodbye to my wife.
I'm a bit nervous
And it's not like
I'm new to the life;
Third stint
With the Legions:
A thirty year man.
But this time...

I don't know why.
It could be
That Valerius
Isn't a wart
On Caesars cock,
His Senate stock
Is higher, and his
Cognomen prouder
Than his military
Roll of honour.
(though mind you
Caesar was a Patrician,
And a  real one too)

But enough of that!
I still got some
Things to pack
And tomorrow
I say goodbye
To my life.

Manuela Cardiga