I Do Not Remember

I do not remember, I do not recall,

the final bugle of November, nor the war that saw so many fall.

 

But I will remember the man who fell into earth,

never again to reach the security of hearth.      

I will remember he who became one with the land,

leaving behind only his blood and tears in the sand.

I will remember his valour and his fear,  

as he stood firm waiting for foe to draw near.

 

I will remember the women who cried,

as their brothers and sons all suffered and died.  

I will remember the fathers who became the lost,

as their families and comrades paid the ultimate cost.  

I will remember the living who became the deceased,

as into the chaos and politics of war they were released.  

 

I will remember the horror and the futility,

of all the children who were laid to rest in all their fragility.

I will remember the unmarked graves

and the relics set asunder by the onrushing waves.   

I will remember their silence and their screams,

all of their hopelessness and their forgotten dreams    

 

I will remember the ones never to be found,

the ones who became all but dust upon the ground.   

I will remember the children who were lambs to the slaughter,

whose blood would run heavy and murky into the water.

I will remember the strangers that became brothers

who would sacrifice themselves for the freedom of others.

 

I do not remember, I do not recall,

the final bugle of November, nor the war that saw so many fall.

 

I remember those, who do remember, and those who recall,

the final bugle of November, and the war that saw so many fall. 

Reviews

[Mayank]

The words are superb here, lines are very painful just like the wounds of wars...
wars are useless, but somewhere that man with power just want toy with rest of us.

[R Smith]

well written Tash, a lovely tribute to those fallen in the war, its good if like me you don't remember the final bugle but we can still celebrate what they gave for us, bravo :)

[Dilan Gunawardana]

This is really well written Tash, and a fitting tribute to 11/11. Well done :)

[NoelHC]

Well stated, and so appropriate on this day, I appreciate your words in memory of soldiers who have died, and the families left behind.
A Canadian poet wrote In Flanders Fields almost 100 years ago, in WWI, the middle stanza sums it up

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.