The catafalque party

[Maureen K Clifford]

Marty it is beautiful I love it.

Can I comment on the line

their arms are reversed , coffin draped in a shroud

I know exactly what you mean and I am not having a go and it is I know my sense of the ridiculous but I have this vision of arms being on back to front. The naval term all hands on deck cracks me up in a similar fashion even though I know it to be correct terminology, I always wonder why they only want the hands..

Further on in the poem you used the term 'weapons reversed' would rifles reversed perhaps work as well???

If it is only me who gets this picture I apologize in advance but I hasten to add that I think it an outstanding piece of poetry and I am not trying to detract from the seriousness of it in any way.

Cheers

Maureen

[Heather]

Good one Marty. Strange where a little bit of research leads to isn't it?

Heather

[Dave Smith]

Arms reveresed is the correct terminology , it is a tradition that predates rifles but I guess weapons reversed works as well

I am afraid that I disagree when talking about weaponry in a military situation a soldier is armed.
I once marched as a lone drummer in a catafalque party with a draped drum and the commands given were reverse arms and shoulder arms and I believe it should remain so.

Dave Smith.

[Neville Briggs]

I didn't notice anything bothersome in the technical terms, I thought the poem was good enough not to worry about that. Pretty good effort Marty, a sombre theme, but true to life.