Remembrance Day. Poem by Gary Drake
Remembrance Day.
The high hall rang with raucous song,
As men drank toast to battles won,
And shedding tears for friends long gone.
The warriors shared their reverie.
Now all their deeds are said and done,
And all their battle-hymns are sung,
On flags and banners gaily hung,
The dust soft-settles silently.
The sharpest of the men arrayed,
Could once recall each man he’d slayed,
Now latticed rust devours the blade,
Of his fast-fading memory.
Now naught remains of Victory’s feast,
But sweet ale dried to bitter yeast,
And bones cast off from sumptuous meats,
Lay strewn amongst the tapestry.
Those men to whom we owe our thanks,
Their call of duty, sacrosanct,
Stood ‘gainst the foe whose serried ranks,
Stretched-seeming to infinity.
These Men-at-arms, These family,
‘Neath Belleau Wood, and Wounded-Knee,
And Arlington’s great cemet’ry,
The warriors wait God’s reveille.
One old man called Bill Alden, a survivor of 'The Great War' 1914-18, would sit, always on his own, sometimes acknowledging a greeting with a palsied wave but for most of the time looking at nothing obvious with milky blue eyes, perhaps remembering a kind of war we will never again know. I just tried to write a verse or two about the shortness of victory celebrations, and what is left after the echoes die.
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Gary Drake; 2012
Hi Gary, your poem is good and I was pleased to read it. However, like prose writing there exists a possibility of another re-write or further editing. If you go through the process your poem will develop more. Take heart and stick with your writing. Best wishes. Why don't you publish your poem? Cleveland
That's a fine piece of work Gary. Worthy of a place of honour. I know every nation, every creed has it's own set of ethics, it's own principles on right or wrong, but that should be cast aside in honour of soldiers who obeyed the call and died for their country, This excellent poem, full of rhyme and imagery forms a wonderful tribute to them. Now I have to scurry to find if I have posted one on the same theme. Tom
Nicely said. Great rhythm and diction. Mesmerizing rhymes. I'm surprised you called it Remembrance Day. That's a Commonwealth term. I'm assuming you're American. I have one here called Petals. You might enjoy it.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/18/2024 2:05:40 AM # 1.0.0.1119
I think you captured the essence of men who had come off war and tried to get back to norm. I loved the poem and its rendition of melancholy.