Vrede
Schoon is het gout het schooste der metalen,
Schoon t’alebast, en t’luchtigste crystal,
Schoon is het licht wanneer de son gaet dalen,
Schoon t’elpenbeen, en t’rosenroot coral,
Schoon is de mey met bloemen sonder tal,
Schooen is de Seeg’ met haer becranste sweerden,
Maer, die de croon moet dragen boven al,
Schoon is de vree de schoonste opder eerden.
Dirck Rafaëlsz. Camphuysen, 1586-1627
Bijschrift bij de foto, die onder een Creative Commons licentie op Flickr werd geplaatst door Guano:
Photographed during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (part of the Third Battle of Ypres) by Lt. J.W. Brooke.
The Third Battle of Ypres stretched from July 31 to November 6, 1917. The Allies advanced through four miles of mud, which was later lost to the Germans in their “Michael” offensive. In the Third Battle of Ypres, the Allies suffered 448,000 killed and wounded, and the Germans suffered 260,000 killed or wounded. The battlefield was a quagmire of mud, made worse by heavy rains. Whole divisions were sent to their slaughter in waves of misery and carnage. Ah… the GLORY of War!