1917 (David Olney)

What was that young soldier seeking in the prostitute’s boudoir in 1917? What was that she gave him? Let’s not rush into easy conclusions; in the times of war all borders are brutally shifted – both the physical ones, and the ones of moral acts and judgements.

It seems he just wanted to feel alive again before returning to the realm of death, to survive if only one more night, to forget, if only for a few hours, desperately clinging to the only remnants of human touch and compassion left around.

And, yes – perhaps he was just deceiving himself, but the momentary safety of her arms did so much more than all the arms fired on the battlefield and all the prayers gone unanswered. That night the war was over for him.

Song written by David Olney (www.davidolney.com).

https://witekkulczycki.bandcamp.com/track/1917-david-olney