WWI in 588 syllables

Bismarck with peace on his mind
In eighteen seventy nine
With Austria-Hungary
And allied with Italy

Germany took Russia now
Russia’s treaty lapsed somehow
France and Russia were friendly
Britain joined and made it three

Bismarck lived in Germany
Fearing war with enemies
Kaiser Wilhelm be discreet
Be careful of what could be

Austria stole Bosnia
Then took Herzegovina
Serbia vowed to regain
The Slavic lands lost in vain

In Bosnia on the streets
A secret society
Shot Austria-Hungary’s
Franz Ferdinand and Sophie

The Serbian assassin
Caused war with the Austrians
Serbia’s ally Russia
Sent troops against Austria

Russia knew that it would be
Claiming war with Germany
Russia looked for help in France
Hoped that France would take a chance

Rashly Germany declared
War on France in trench warfare
Britain helped France in despair
And hoped for a short warfare

Central Powers took the stand
Austria-Hungary and
Germany were the main two
Fought the war and made it through

Allies made of three nations
Least with supplies were Russians
Britain and France on the west
Even Japan joined the rest

In trench warfare they ate mud
Washed in mud and dreamed of mud
Soldiers died, splashed with blood and
Fought for land called “no man’s land”

Back and forth the war raged on
Killing Europe’s everyone
War from Europe spread into
Africa and Asia too

Later on the USA
Nineteen seventeen someday
Declared war on Germany
Keeping the USA free

Everyone in war suffered
Goods rationed for war effort
Propaganda persuasion
For the war’s dedication

Food and supplies in decline
Czar Nicholas must resign
Lenin came to take the throne
The Allies now fought alone

Germany excitedly
Hoped to win the war quickly
New US troops crushed them down
Central Powers wore the frown

Kaiser Wilhelm now cast out
Germans followed a new route
French and Germans met and said
Time to stop the war’s bloodshed

The Big Four made plans for peace
Hoping future wars would cease
Germany and the Allies
Signed the Treaty of Versailles

Punishment of Germany
Was responsibility
For creating such a war
Paid for damage through the floor

Old empires split into
Many nations free and new
Other countries still not free
Were kept as territory

The peace did not last life long
No one wanted to belong
To a treaty filled with guilt
Like starved flowers, countries wilt

End