Leningrad
em = By Rosemary Evans
They starved and died in Leningrad,
In darkness and in snow.
They starved and died in Leningrad
Fifty years ago.
They had no water, but each day
A little crust of bread.
And often it was hard to tell
The living from the dead.
The Germans rained bombs from the skies,
Dead bodies filled the city.
There was no wood for coffins, and
There was no room for pity.
The men all to the war had gone,
Remained the young and old
To face the cruel bombardment
In the dark and bitter cold.
Schoolchildren then died at their desks,
Old people in the snow.
Those left ate dogs and cats and rats,
Fifty years ago.
In brave and battered Leningrad
(No army to defend her),
There was no talk of yielding; there
Was no talk of surrender.
And two years of nightmare blockade
Was Leningrad's great story.
Heroic City it was named —
Shall we deny its glory?
Lest we forget, lest we forget,
Just keep the name we know
Of brave courageous Leningrad
Fifty years ago.