Can I comment on the line
I know exactly what you mean and I am not having a go and it is I know my sense of the ridiculous but I have this vision of arms being on back to front. The naval term all hands on deck cracks me up in a similar fashion even though I know it to be correct terminology, I always wonder why they only want the hands..their arms are reversed , coffin draped in a shroud
Further on in the poem you used the term 'weapons reversed' would rifles reversed perhaps work as well???
If it is only me who gets this picture I apologize in advance but I hasten to add that I think it an outstanding piece of poetry and I am not trying to detract from the seriousness of it in any way.
Cheers
Maureen