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Silent Homage

Missing image

 

 

 


He stands as tall and proud as any man
with bright and shiny medals on his chest,
he knew so very little of the plan
but felt that he could only do his best.

Expectantly the comrades went to sea
not knowing what the future had in store,
they landed on the beach at Normandy
to fight the German army on the shore.

Another year of hardship lay ahead
from Normandy they fought their way inland,
the little band would see too many dead
but freedom needs someone to take a stand.

Respect and thanks he paid to those who died
and silently, inside, this soldier cried.

 

 

 

 

 

Author notes

D-Day and more ... is the prompt.

In a list

A contest entry

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Comments

1 - 26 of 26

  • Pattiboo silver member
    August 27

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    Very very moving poem that says it all. I found a photo of the graveyard where my uncle is buried while doing my ancestry research, until then I never knew mum didn't speak of it likely she never knew either as a big age gap between them. Just looking at that photo made me cry.

  • Seasinger gold member
    June 30

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    Congratulations to you Sue on a very fine write for the gold, and thanks for your comment on my entry.

    I think your soldier and my soldier would see eye to eye on most things.  We just described different aspects!

    Mine would stand proud and tall with yours in the thinning ranks of veterans and feel the sadness at those military remembrance services, which even the young find impressive and still moving occasions.

    And yours would probably find it not as good an idea as it sounded at the travel agent's, for an octogenarian to revisit Normandy for the first time in 65 years and traipse round the modern, manicured countryside with a wife of much the same age, trying to identify and explain old battlefields and having to keep saying how different everything looks now.

    Vive la différence!


    • Sue Cardwell gold member
      June 30
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you so much for your congratulations and your lovely comment. I wasn't around in those days and my parents never talked much about those times, but I do know we owe them all a debt of gratitude.

      Sue
      x


  • cricketjeff gold member
    June 28

    Edit | Reply
    An excellent reflective piece, I love the start and end in the present with the "middle eight" set in the past.

    Lovely meter and rhyme allied to a wonderful message gets you the gold.


  • deercatcher
    June 19
    Edit | Reply
    I like lots. Might you consider fought 'hand to hand' in the penultimate stanza...


  • Violet Moodswing Greeters member
    June 12

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    This is a wonderful tribute to many who gave their all for the sake of others. It is so sad that we humans have still not evolved enough to avoid these conflicts. Still, your poem paints an emotional picture that is very suiting in light of its topic.

    Glad I stopped by to read it.

    • Sue Cardwell gold member
      June 12
      Edit | Reply
      Many thanks for your lovely comment and for stopping by to read my poem.

      Sue


  • Discoveria
    June 11

    Edit | Reply
    This is a well-written and moving piece.

    If I may, I have just a few suggestions:

    "He stands..." -> "He stood" - to be consistent with the rest of the sonnet being in past tense

    "and silently inside this soldier cried." -> "and silently, inside, this soldier cried. - Just to increase clarity a little bit, and slow the reader down?

    An excellent homage to the honoured dead. Thank you.


    • Sue Cardwell gold member
      June 11

      Edit | Reply
      Thank you for your comment and suggestions. I agree with the punctuation in the last line and have amended as such, but as to the tense for "stand" and "stood", the first line and couplet are set in the present and the body is in the past, therefore that line will remain unchanged.
      Thanks once again and I'm glad you enjoyed the poem.

      Sue
      x


  • Susan John Francis
    June 11
    Edit | Reply
    AMEN.....


  • enlightenedatheist
    June 10
    Edit | Reply
    wonderful job. i think this a very enjoyable write and full of passion.


    • Sue Cardwell gold member
      June 10
      Edit | Reply
      Many thanks for your comment, I appreciate you reading and I'm so glad you enjoyed ... Sue


  • Amera gold member
    June 10

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    So glad you posted this poem. I think you composed a brilliant piece here. The sonnet seems to be the perfect form to honor those brave men. Bravo!

    Love,
    Amera♥


  • moonbumps silver member
    June 10

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    Succint and very much to the point-tells the tale well-not many around to remember....something we should all think about despite not being personally involved-
    Hilly xx

  • montez gold member
    June 10

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    Just one pedantic..

    ..little dig, I think "those who died" would be better grammatically, in the penultimate line.
    However, it's a well constructed piece which rhymes and flows very well, and is quite moving, not least being the final line, which is very powerful.
    Well done, this is well worth 3 bananas.
    Kind regards,
    Robin.


    • Sue Cardwell gold member
      June 10
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you Robin for your comment and I've taken note and changed the penultimate line, I agree it sounds much better.
      I'm glad you enjoyed the poem

      Sue
      x

  • Purrsanthema
    June 9
    Edit | Reply
    This is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


  • arafura gold member
    June 9
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    Excellent poem my friend!

  • Bad Bill
    June 9
    Edit | Reply
    I can see why you and Jeff wanted this to be read - it's excellent.

    Bill

1 - 26 of 26