Remembrance Day 2019

The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In honor of the occasion I took a moment to record three poems that I think are a slightly different take on WW 1. Moments and images that gave me pause to think a little more deeply than I had been. They are: the …

Nurses (2): wholesome

WW1 nurses having breakfast, on the verandah at the Aboukir Nurses Rest Home, Egypt, ca. 1915 https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/209714522?q=ww1+nurses&c=picture&versionId=230178312 and we bring youour darling girlsto these hotsands and strange places good morning enjoy your breakfast this may bethe lastwhole the lastwholesome for a while ______________________________________________________________________________ Would you like to be notified about changes and developments in my …

Ypres (41): an entrance (to irony)

  The entrance to the prison at Ypres, which was used as a forward dressing station by the 9th Australian Field Ambulance during the Third Battle of Ypres. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1015610 there’s ironyherein this bloody war churches are the firstto goin the name of god and people must prayto remnantsin mortar here we arewelcomedby the prison gate …

Ypres (46): when we met (on herberg street)

take a bus down herberg street do some window shopping in the rain there’s no rush and you can take as much time as you need but mind now how you go out there keep the cobbles beneath your wheels it’s a glue pot on the other side if you stray you might be gone …

Ypres (43): ride of the fallen

  and the fallen slowly ride their steeds point to valhalla once proud and upright they slump now in their saddles they are surely dead even if alive at least on this ride there are tall trees and shade at least this ride is safe and see they keep coming this parade runs forever is …

Ypres (42): the weight of fireworks

come on you men let’s haul this mud and the damned eighteen pounder inside it it’s a lazy machine only fit to spit lead and it won’t move itself from the mire if we want fireworks tonight pull your weight pull your weight you better pull your weight ~

Ypres (39): welcome (welcome)

welcome to hell this is the place all things are broken here crippled splintered betrayed we welcome you to hell is it a visit will you stay so many think the one but their minds get changed do you remember when can you look back so far I think those days are past you will …

Ypres (32): where I stand (is on my knees)

I stand on sacred ground can’t you read the sign this is no place for war this is civilised and I wonder if me standing here makes me civilised too I wonder if touching the stone admits me into the secret or if that can only be found below among the bones that will be …

Ypres (30): for gingerbread

at a glance I say gingerbread at a glance I say gnomes or dwarves or ants all busy busy I would not say soldiers I would not say destruction this is no fairy-tale no sow shite no Cinderella just men who clear the mines men who make it safe for other men to blow up …

Ypres (28): flyboys in the wide world

those fly boys they have the life wind whistling through the struts them and the clouds and the whole wide of the skies but my word don’t they just land so very very hard sometimes ~