thehighlanderspoems

Generations of Valor

They stand together
Soldiers young and old
As we sit down beside them
Their stories unfold

Tell me son
What happened to you
Please take your time
I wish to hear you through

I was out on patrol
Looking for improvised devices
Their made of plastic now
For modern sacrifices

But this one was different
It was set on remote
Triggered at distance
As the enemy gloat

Catapulted, bleeding
As I land on the sand
My face lacerated
As are my hands

My left hand has gone
As are my eyes
My emotions are drained
I can no longer cry

I am flown home
To Edwards Air Base
Not the way I left
A new tomorrow I face

My brave young son
I shall cry for you
Yes tomorrow is new
But we will see it through

As he wipes his tears
His son says to his father
Tell me your story again
So my thoughts again gather

Well, it was so long ago
And although I am old
The horrors of wars
Should always be told

It was the 6th of June
1944
The day the war had turned
And what we fought for

I was one of thousands
As we hit the beaches
Under heavy fire
Bodies bleeding, bodies bleached

After being pinned down for hours
We finally made a breakthrough
Their lines broken
Our determination pursued

Our objective, Bayeux
To cut off the road to Caen
Re-assemble and group
As we mean to go on

We were on the outskirts
As a 109E attacked
My platoon was strafed
As it's bullets impact

I was hit three times
In my legs and chest
Shipped back home
Asking why was I blessed

After the war
In the Army I stayed
As an injury counsellor
For other wars have been played

Father and son stood together
Hugged for tomorrow
Yes, there will be more wars
And what they'll bring is more sorrow 

 

We Bow in Remembrance

Head bowed
Another lost
Only nineteen
Life exhaust

Suicide bomber
Checkpoint aimed
Distant detonation
Bloodthirsty reign

Flown home
Last journey
Sombre flight
Deceased early

Airport met
Coffin carried
Mourning wife
Newly married

Another hero
Theatre down
Another funeral
Tearful town

Families gather
Friends unite
Stars n Stripes
Mournful sight

Firing salute
Last farewell
Congregation disperse
Wishing well


The B-17 and the bf-109

Somewhere over Europe
A B-17 flies
Strafed and damaged
In her enemies skies

The flak has taken
It's toll on the plane
This crew so brave
In this theatre of war campaign

Many hours have passed
With no sight of the channel
Only land ahead
Is it our instrument panel

A shout is heard from the rear of the plane
A Messerschmitt bf-109, beside us flies
We are sitting targets for another kill
The pilot turns his head, as I look into his eyes

He is making a gesture
For us to turn 180 degrees
Do we believe our enemy
But we eventually agree

He continues to fly
Like an escort of question
Were we right to agree
His degree of suggestion

For up ahead we see
The glint of blue water
Our horizon of hope
Are we saved from slaughter

Moments later
As I turn my head again
A wave from the German
As he banks his fighter plane

We are now well over the channel
As we sight the white Cliffs of Dover
Our B-17 in struggle
This mission near over

On the runway at Kimbolton
The fire crews stand ready
Will our plane take the landing
Is our undercarriage steady

Touch down we make
As we talk of our flight back
About the German fighter pilot
Who refused to attack

 
    It is now many years later
    For we were lucky, we grew old
    As we assembled on anniversary
    Our story could now be told

    For he had kept it his secret
    But now we have to say
    Franz Stigler and his German fighter
    Is why we are before you today

    He was scrambled to intercept
    The enemy that we were then
    When he arrived we awaited
    The fate of us men

    When he viewed our plane
    He couldn't believe his eyes
    Why something so shot up
    Still flew in his skies

    When he returned to base
    In his report he states
    It went down over the sea
    And sealed our fate

    After all these years
    I am so happy we have met
    We have lived many years
    While our lost colleagues have slept

    I thank you Sir
    For sparing the lives of my crew
    As we stand together for peace
    We salute you



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When a Blind Man Cries

On a patrol for the good so far from their home
Professional in their minds, never to roam

But this is a world, where feelings are forgotten
Damning souls of destruction fuelled with gun-cotton

For on rocky outcrops and deserted sand paths
Lie hidden dangers to take life from it's grasp

Coalition troops, our children just boys
Doing their duty for their orders employ

On missions they set out to rid insurgent scum
Against a tactic so great, guerrilla warfare hit and run

Recent news has informed us, that another has been downed
A father, uncle or son, leave another family tear drowned

Another hidden device in his face has exploded
Their hunger to hate once again has been loaded

Medics rush in to save the life of their soul
Knowing when he's home, another stat for wars toll

Many weeks he recuperates, behind bandages and care
Visited by friends, but only his children do stare

His strength now regained, but not the man he once was
A silence beckons then turns to applause

Assisted by comrades as he is led to collect
His medal of valour whilst inside he reflects

In his future years knowing his children grow strong
For he's in a dark world, where he doesn't belong

Emotions so many will follow his years
For when this blind man cries, we must share in his tears
 

Of Canada, Canadians We Are

On the top of the berm
One Canadian soldier stood
His head bowed
Heavily understood

We sign up to do
What the duty ensues
To our flag we obey
Our enemies, we pursue

This tor of abroad
In a distant land
Four lives so free
Leaving families bland

As we awake tomorrow
Knowing of yesterdays gone
We do for the right
For on this world we belong

We are a nation of many
Some days we will scar
Of Canada
Canadians we are 

 

My tribute to the many Canadian soldiers who have fought for not only their
Countries freedom, but to preserve world peace, i bow to the living and fallen.

 

Lost Where They do not Belong

Parents and spouses to their photo's they look, another
              hero was killed fighting for our freedom, lost 
                             so far from his home and family, today
        we continue to send our sons and daughters, but
                                         there will come a day when, they
                                                 will live as free as we do, will
                                  we ever learn from these theatres, never
                             again should we out live our children , be
     cause' another was lost today, but they will never be, forgotten 


Reflections

Through the window of life I look
To tomorrow, a different day
Thoughts of my husband my love
Lost to wars theatre decay

When I awake every morning
And look at the faces of our kids
When do I tell them their daddy's gone
And lift our lives from this rid

What do I tell them
Every time they hear the door
When they think its their father
Who won't be coming home anymore

What do I tell myself
When I retire every night
Touching the side where he once lay
The one who held me tight

What do I tell them
When I'm tear laden day to day
What do you tell twins of one year old
When they don't understand what I say

When do I tell myself
That tomorrows a different day
Reflections are left of what could have been
For war has left its say

Man Against Themselves

Man against man since the beginning of time
Neanderthal to present in evolutionary climb

Warring breeds and creeds past to present
We continue to maim in grievous resent

Murdering your neighbour or killing your friend
This intelligence of he will we ever comprehend

Conflicts happen, fabricated created
Man in our time are now underrated

Only the dead have seen the end of wars
Only the living ask and wonder what for?