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Longest Day

by robin41

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Contributed by听: robin41
People in story:听: Normandy Veterans
Location of story:听: D-Day
Background to story:听: Army
Article ID:听: A2749098
Contributed on:听: 15 June 2004

Do not call me hero,
When you see the medals that I wear,
Medals maketh not the hero,
They just prove that I was there.

Do not call me hero,
Now that I am old and grey,
I left a lad, returned a man,
They stole my youth that day.

Do not call me hero,
When we ran the wall of hail,
The blood, the fears, the cries, the tears
We left them where they fell.

Do not call me hero,
Each night I stop and pray,
For all the friends I knew and lost,
I survived my longest day.

Do not call me hero,
In the years that pass,
For all the real true heroes,
Have crosses, lined up on the grass.

Rob Aitchison

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These messages were added to this story by site members between June 2003 and January 2006. It is no longer possible to leave messages here. Find out more about the site contributors.

Message 1 - Longest Day

Posted on: 05 January 2005 by Barman-Andy (WW2 Community Member)

<wah>Hello, I like writing poetry myself, but I must say, that beats every single one of mine.

Well done, you have a real tallent.<smiley>

听

Message 2 - Longest Day

Posted on: 13 April 2005 by robin41

Thank you for taking the time to read my poem.Glad you enjoyed it.
Keep writing your poetry.
Regards Rob

听

Message 3 - Longest Day

Posted on: 23 May 2005 by angclaire

Hello Rob

Powerful words, they got me thinking. I am organising a V.E. Celebration day in Knowsley in July, could I display your poem please?

Kind regards

Angela

听

Message 4 - Longest Day

Posted on: 29 May 2005 by robin41

Hi Angela,Glad you enjoyed my poem.I would be delighted, for you to use Longest Day for your V E celebration.
Please let me know of any comments it generates.Please feel free to look at my other poem At The Cross.
Regards Rob

Message 1 - longest day

Posted on: 09 July 2005 by missbuckley

this poem brought tears to my eyes, this man states he is not a hero because he is still here, i would like to say this person is still a hero,not because he survived the war but because he has compassion for all his fellow comrades and when he wears his medals wear them with pride for they represent not only his bravery but also of everyone we have to thank for their courage.

听

Message 2 - longest day

Posted on: 12 July 2005 by robin41

Thank you for reading my poem.
I wrote it as a tribute to my grandfather who was a Normandy veteran,and to all veterans of WWII,it always amazes me that these people never consider themselves as hero,s.
You have expressed exactly,what I hoped "Longest Day" would mean to anybody that read it.
"Longest Day" is my thank you to a great generation.
Regards Rob

Message 1 - cats

Posted on: 30 July 2005 by Peterborough Museum

bdih;ors[`biiiiiiiiiiiiiii`wr

听

Message 2 - cats a load of rubbish

Posted on: 19 December 2005 by parkside-community

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Message 1 - The Longest Day

Posted on: 22 August 2005 by happylara

I just had to write a message to say that your poem - the longest day drove me to tears - it's simplicity and beautiful haunting lines really capture the time and enable people of my generation (I am 35)to realise the thousands of wasted lives and unsung heros whilst appreciating those that did come back alive having lost their youth to war. You are all heros.

Thank you.

Lara, Dover

听

Message 2 - The Longest Day

Posted on: 22 August 2005 by robin41

Thank you Lara, for reading my poem.
I wrote it as a tribute to my grandfather who was a Normandy veteran,and to all veterans of WWII,it always amazes me that these people never consider themselves as hero,s.
You have expressed exactly,what I hoped "Longest Day" would mean to anybody that read it.
"Longest Day" is my thank you to a great generation.
Regards Rob

听

Message 3 - The Longest Day

Posted on: 11 November 2005 by carlnorwich

Hello Robin

I too had to write to say how very moving your poem is. I am forty years old and recently returned from a trip to the Normandy beaches, a very humbling experience and one I will never forget. I urge everybody to at some stage pay a visit to the DDay landings sites and see the memorials themselves just to get a small idea of the sacrifice these young men made for us all.
Carl

听

Message 4 - The Longest Day

Posted on: 13 November 2005 by Henry3000

I am 13 and i thought that poem could have been written by someone like Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sasoon. That poem is amazing. It is people like you who really make you realise what it was really like Thank You
Henry G

听

Message 5 - The Longest Day

Posted on: 19 November 2005 by robin41

Thank you Henry.
Wilfred owen ,Siegfried Sasoon(you certainly know your great poets)thanks!
Feel free to check out my other poem
"At the Cross". I think you will like that one as well.
Regards Rob

Message 1 - The Longest Day Poem

Posted on: 13 November 2005 by pjackson56

I just wanted to add my own congratulations on such a well constructed peom. I have spent quite a bit of time to day - Remembrance day - thinking of my father who served in Burma and my mother who "kept the home fires burning" and drove ambulances. Both of them are no longer alive and both lost many friends in the war.
My father spoke little of his time in the Far East and he would have approved of the sentiments expressed in your words.
Thank you

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