Duke Of Normandy Poem by poppy miller

The hearth so grey, scant words spoken
Shelled out towns with hollow eyes
Shadows stalk, hearts near broken
Whilst heads hang low and heaven cries

Soar; my seasoned soldier of liberty
Take flight above the shells this morn
God speed, brave Duke of Normandy
So we may know an emerald dawn.

Rid the chilling pecking ravens
Who hack our souls to dark despair,
The jungle crows of civilization,
That steal from us a sweeter air.

Cease the fan of hate and evil breath
that haunts this place of blood and sand
where brother on brother fall to death
on drifting sea and land

Go. Chase the sun sweet Duke of Normandy
Put suffering to an end, let peace begin
That all may stand together, "Let it Be"
No more to rage the scorn within.


Footnote:

The Duke of Normandy was a pigeon that was awarded the Dickin Medal for life saving action in conflict.
But I have to tell you of another that touched my heart.

Mary.
Date of Award: November 1945
"For outstanding endurance on War Service in spite of wounds."
Mary survived an attack by a German-kept hawk in France, returning with wounds to her neck and breast, and on another occasion returned with a wing tip shot off. In her final trip she sustained neck muscle damage due to shrapnel; her owner made her a leather collar to hold her head up and immediately retired her. Mary had also survived her loft being wrecked by a bomb during the raids on Exeter in 1942, which had killed many of her fellow pigeons