Conscription by Tom Sharp

At twilight I stopped at a small village where there was a lot of commotion. Government officers were arresting people to die in the war. Where I was staying, old man escaped by climbing over a wall and a sick old woman told the officers to leave them alone. They’d already taken her three sons and two had already died in battle. A son’s wife, nursing a baby, couldn’t leave since she had no coat to cover herself. There was crying and screaming all night long. In the morning I said goodbye to the old man and set off to do my part in the war.

石壕吏 by 杜甫 (Du Fu)

暮投石壕村，有吏夜捉人。老翁逾墙走，老妇出门看。吏呼一何怒！妇啼一何苦！听妇前致词：三男邺城戍。一男附书至，二男新战死。存者且偷生，死者长已矣！室中更无人，惟有乳下孙。有孙母未去，出入无完裙。老妪力虽衰，请从吏夜归。急应河阳役，犹得备晨炊。夜久语声绝，如闻泣幽咽。天明登前途，独与老翁别。