Sunday 6 November 2011

Remembrance Day

Standing here,
my heart beats fast with emotion
pin pricks of scarlet on my cheeks.
The rough worsted collar
grey-green, chaffs my fragile skin,
while coloured ribbons of medals sway
slower in time now the march has stopped
the brisk November wind 
makes them clink
now and again.


My body soft with age trembles
as the minutes tick by
the birds overhead are the only sound
as we stand lost in our silent thoughts
of battle
fear
exhaustion
sadness
of aeroplanes screeching, 
gunfire thundering 
and as the dust settles
triumph is marred by
the counting of despair.

My rheumy eyes focus on the plain white stone ahead
arthritic fingers clasp
the wreath of poppies.
The last post echoes through the cemetery. 
I walk to lay my tribute 
my fallen comrades surround me 
on this Remembrance Day.




This is my entry for Magpie tales from Tess's prompt

16 comments:

  1. Thank you...we must remember...beautiful write..

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautifully written and being a military daughter, reminds me of many a cold Remembrance Sunday morning watching the parade and the ceremonial laying of poppy wreaths at the foot of a monument in the town of wherever we were stationed at the time.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Old soldiers never die - they keep on marching and remembering. Fine poem.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Even the mention of The Last Post brings a tear to my eye, as my brain hears its plaintive notes in my imagination...♥

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lest we forget, lest we forget...

    ReplyDelete
  6. kay this is well inside the moment and all of its feelings connected with rememebrance day. thankyou for sharing it here. steven

    ReplyDelete
  7. "my fallen comrades surround me
    on this Remembrance Day"

    Just "Wow".

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lovely write and so apt for this time of year. Well written.
    Jamie

    ReplyDelete
  9. a very nice response for rememberance...particularly the vivid bringing alive of the chaos of war that brought it about...nice...

    ReplyDelete
  10. black friday is the day after thanksgiving...all the stores open at like 3 AM with early bird specials before sunrise and large sales...busiest shopping day in american...also one of the nastiest as there are often fights that break out over items and people crushed as the crowd stampedes over them...

    ReplyDelete
  11. A beautiful tribute to the men and women who have given their lives to protect freedom ........

    ReplyDelete
  12. Beautiful and touching poem. Remembrance day well-anticipated!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Truly beautiful tribute - thank you.

    Anna :o]

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting....don't be shy...say hello!!