98. World War I

An archduke was shot.

The new shot heard around the world.

Weapons were built.

A new war sparked.

Alliances formed.

Germany, Austria, Italy

Russia, France, Britain,

They stood against each other.

Pushed each other.

Never gaining ground.

Monsters rumbled over land

Bringing destruction to lives and property.

The Wright Brothers’ innocent invention turned to war as well.

People lived, fought and died in the trenches.

Both sides bravely faced their bloody stalemate.

Europe became a black hole of war.

Americans preached isolationism

But war came to them anyway.

Lusitania opened the door to America.

A solution finally came.

Mr. Wilson’s pipe dream,

The bubble from his head

Of a perfect world

Happy and peaceful

here nations could bring their problems to a league.

The Treaty of Versailles

Turned the league into reality.

Peace reigned supreme.

The war seemed to be over

For now.

90. Napoleon

A new man came.
Napoleon!
A new Caesar.
Napoleon!
To some a great leader.
Napoleon!
To others the scourge of Europe.
Napoleon!
Born of Corsica.
Napoleon!
Joining the army of France.
Napoleon!
Rising through the ranks.
Napoleon!
To shed the short robes for long ones.
Napoleon!
Napoleon!
Napoleon!
From the terrors of the burning revolutions
With fire in his eyes
The deep, calculating general
Moved out and declared war on Europe.
Eastward!
Eastward!
East he marched
Taking land from Austria
With the dream of Rome in his heart.
He went through Spain and Portugal.
To the ends of the European world!
Napoleon found it hard to resist Russia’s calling
So he crossed the border.
The icy blast of the Russian winter drove him back.
He lost the fight.
He was dethroned and forced into exile.
He escaped and rebuilt his army.
Waterloo was his final defeat.
Napoleon only lived on as a person three more times
But his name and memory will last forever.
He joined the graveyard of dead empires and powerful rulers.
Crossing Hades’ mighty river.