Tag: Death

Featured

Termination in Ukraine

She had carried her new baby for nearly 9 months
and was last seen on a trolley
in labour and frightened.

The shells had ripped down the hospital wall as if made of cheese
but came there yet more and the
grip of death was tightened.

They survived barely an hour when cleared of the rubble but
despite heroic efforts both died and
the tragedy was heightened.

Just two more deaths to add to millions from centuries long gone
but mankind still seems unable to learn
and become enlightened.
Featured

Innocent Innocent of Rwanda

Oh, bright boy of another race
Tears stream down your young brown face
Of your parents and siblings there's no more trace
Why were you not born in another place?

This bright young lad sits beneath a tree,
Telling of the loss of his family
Speaks to a microphone but he's talking to me
And I sit comfortable in my land of the free.

His parents were hacked to death
And he watched them draw their last breath
Brothers and sisters all gone too,
Now what's a thirteen year old boy to do?

All those Sons and Daughters

Another November 11th
The 76th I have seen
Men and women of our forces
Parade together with the Queen.

Here we remember the fallen
Those who will never age
People with just one life to live
And lost it on the world war stage.

It's all well done as usual
British ceremony, pomp and grace
But I always wonder who it is 
decides on war in the first place?

Who takes this grave decision
A singleton, quorum or committee?
To defend our realm and order the 
death of bodies, brains and beauty.

It has to be - It must be so
To ensure we all stay free
But whoever it is starts our fights
I am glad that it's not me.

Debate

The grief of life?
The joy of death?
What's more important
Our first or last breath?

Honour what's coming?
Or glory times gone -
For a babe crying feed me
Or a corpse saying so long?

Life, perverse when present
Is stranger when it's left 
We either stand appealing 
Or lie alone bereft.

Holy Land Travels by an Old Lady

She had had a rough life, this lady
been left high and dry by an untimely death
she had concentrated on raising her boy
and would do so until her last breath.

Low expectations were her norm, just
a work life and her small rented home.
Holidays were a great rarity
and there was never a chance to roam.

She had a faith but hidden deeply
the chapel fed her God's love with fear
and her eyes closed in prayer by the radio
at Remembrance Day Service each year.

Then her son, now grown, and wealthy
took her to Israel and then Rome,
she trod the stations of the cross
and saw the Pope go by on his throne.

Of all she had seen and experienced
in a life that turned out so tough,
the visits to these holy cities
she said, blest her life just enough.

Twin Towers

There are holes in Manhattan
where two Towers stood.
Symbols of rich greatness which
became rubble mixed with blood.

The zealots in the crashing planes
thought Paradise was theirs,
and death for them was noble
if they upset world affairs.

Warriors of an Eastern religion,
base, bigoted and defiant;
such fools were they to prod
earth's largest sleeping giant.

Three thousand people gone,
and thousands more are blighted,
as they live on their shattered lives
and the fuse to war is lighted.