Translated by me:


At dusk in Shirhaw Village I found lodging
Government officials came for drafting
The  host, an old man, fled over the wall
The hostess went out to greet them all
The officials shouted aloud, very angry
The old woman wept in great misery
This is what I overheard of their conversation:
“To the military all my three sons I have given
Someone recently delivered a letter from one
Saying the other two had been killed in action
The spared is now leading a pathetic life
The killed are exempted from any strife
There is no one available now in the house
Except a grandson, as small as a mouse
His mother is with us alright but
She has only rags to cover her butt
I am old and weak but I still kick around
Pray you take me tonight to the battle ground
I’ve heard of emergency for an imminent battle
Take me now, so that I can boil the breakfast kettle
As night dragged on, so dimmed the sound of talking
Yet I could still hear the suppressed sobbing
At dawn when I set off on my journey
I said goodbye to the old man only