大象传媒

REMEMBRANCE
As poppies go on sale again, so all our thoughts begin,
Of the countless men and women, who our freedom died to win,
Sweethearts, Fathers, Brothers, Sons, Daughters, Sisters, Mothers, yet,
They gave their lives in thousands, and lest we should forget,
To give us all our Freedom, Peace, Unnamed many thousands died,
So today in reverence honour them, and remember them with pride.

WAR YEARS
I remember tiny terraced houses, cobbled streets and "Flags" of stone,
I remember rented houses, you would never ever own,
I remember a tin bath in the yard, in which you had your weekly scrub,
I remember oil cloth on stone floors and washing in a "Dolly" tub,
I remember horse drawn vehicles, were always on the scene,
Delivering coal, coke and everything, and cars were hardly seen,
I remember always being hungry and rationing every day,
And people getting more than others, just because they could pay,
I remember dripping on my toast, for breakfast every day,
I remember bombed out houses, in which we used to play,
I remember Air Raid Shelters, and explosions in the night,
I remember "Yanks" throwing coppers, for which we used to fight,
I remember Air Raid Wardens, and the shout "Put out that light",
From these dedicated volunteers, who walked the streets each night,
I remember collecting salvage, for the "War Effort" each day,
Rubber, tin, iron, anything that would make it go away,
I remember "Any gum chum" to the Yanks who we would hound,
Hoping for some sweets, as we followed them around,
I remember Manchester's centre, after the German bombers had been,
I remember burning, gutted buildings, like a Dante's Inferno scene,
I remember people returning later from "The Front", where they had fought,
To give us all our freedom, sometimes highly bought,
Some were physically injured, with wounds of every kind,
And some apparently unscathed, had wounds within their mind,
I've remembered as a child, and as a child would feel,
But with an adult mind, it must have seemed unreal,
And as we sing the "War" songs, "Forget it" some folks say,
But to some that just can't happen, to them it happened "Yesterday".

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