Before Their Time

come spring
when climes on skin are cool
when sun is hesitant to rise
there trellised to a garden wall
an evergreen which bursts in bloom
abundant show of lovely heads
dressed finely in deep shades of red

richest velvet ruby flowers
when shaken by a cold March wind
those ruffled lovelies in their skirts
do shiver first then fall below
succumb they do to
unkind ground

to crazy paving old and grey
now covered with a bright display
confetti petals shower down
on raised cracked stones
from yesterdays

yet I recall a spring one year
when snowflakes softly fell at night
morning brought the saddest sight
of blood red petals settled on
a bed of contrast pure and white

and how my eyes did water for
our soldiers of two desperate wars
who fought for freedom land and sea
how willingly they sacrificed
their lives to fight off tyranny
and now I ask what would they say

what would they think if they lived now
would they suppose they died in vain
with all that sorrow all that pain
or would they say for heaven’s sake
our death sans glory no mistake
for given chance we’d die again

Reviews

[Dave]

Chris - you remind us of the ultimate sacrifice so many of our young people have made. It is a shame that so many did so, believing in the false promises of their governments. Governments were further shamed by their unwillingness to honor those sacrifices and to care for the loved ones those sacrificed left behind.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Take care - Dave.

[Chris Shaw]

I appreciate you stopping by to share your thoughts Dave. Thank you so much.

Chris

[Thomas W Case]

Tremendous imagery and use of the senses. You do this well.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Thomas for your encouraging review. All the best.

Chris

[Mauricio Montoya]

The title got me I had to read ,Chris Your poem is very colorful of course its a garden but the ending threw me so I had to read again my thoughts went into shades of grey, this write is deep it has two meanings but all the beauty we created we also bring war and sad to say even if see the mistake, given another chance we'd do it again. Thank you for sharing yet sad an excellent write.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks Soren for sharing your thoughts. Pleased you stopped by. All the best.

Chris

[Mauricio Montoya]

Its me Mauricio saying excellent write

[Lorry]

Assuring is a time for renewal, but much stays the same and we learn slowly, if at all.
Those lads who gave their lives must think it can't be in vain. Mustn't be in vain, for it has given us the freedoms we do take for granted too much. And the lassies too, who were little more than girls and boys fighting for their freedoms and ours.
If it ever comes down to that choice again, I fear the modern versions would wilt at the thought, but they have surprised us before, with their tolerance and are more forward thinking than us older analogue versions, so might surprise us yet.
Hope it doesn't come down to that though and they can concentrate their efforts on making spring less like winter light and put their efforts into making each new day a bit brighter than the last.

[Lorry]

Ps...christ knows where assuring came from, meant to read spring. Fekn predunctive toast...I mean predictive text. 😀

[Chris Shaw]

That predictive text can be such a pain:) Thanks Lorry. I hope you are right and that the younger generation might think their country and its freedoms are worth preserving. I appreciate your thoughts.

Chris

[Lorry]

Will be better when the wind stops thinking I'm a kite! A bit blustery today methinks, and Engerlund has over 30 flood warnings and wind warnings in place, so empty your coin jars into pockets to help weigh yourself down. Well, it might just stop you from knowing how a kite feels! 😃

[Chris Shaw]

Branches down this morning. Quite a big one. A very windy night and the rivers are running fast :)

[JessyJacob]

hi chris, how are you doing? hope you recovered. i got sick4 days, severe cough, and fever. now getting better.

[Chris Shaw]

Hope you are better now.

[JessyJacob]

No need to bother about me take care of yourself.

[June bug]

Such a heart tugging write with remarkable imagery.
I can feel this write. I wish for my garden to bloom and grow. I am so tired of seeing
the snow in which that is covered there. I long for spring and summer.
Enjoyed your write, its is quite heart tugging.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you June. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving your words. I appreciate you.

read moreThank you June. I appreciate you stopping by and leaving your words. I appreciate you.

Chris

[Fabian G. Franklin]

A very good write from you, Chris. I think the American government has spat on the graves of her dead veteran heroes enough. They were told they were fighting to keep us "free", free from the global threat of communism and a quarter million answered the call and died in various engagements around the globe bravely for that express cause. But then the government turned around and gave our country to the same godless communists we were told we had to fight to stay free. They gave it to them in trade for cheap, fall apart, merchandise and trinkets, much like the white settlers swindled the Native Americans here before them.

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Fabian. Our country is being given away as well. Sacrifices of the past, no longer seem to matter. It hurts like hell.

Chris

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Sorry I got on my soapbox. It wasn't my intention to neglect the poem. This is one of the best writes on the site in my humble opinion. Yes, it's deeply disturbing especially to service families. My great grandfather fought in the Civil War, my grandfather, in WW 1, my father in WWII, my brothers fought in Vietnam, I wish we could have nothing but generations of peace and brotherhood but the way the men are screwing it up I think it might take a sisterhood to accomplish that. I'm a firm believer in the empowerment and equality of girls (actually I think they're the superior gender but like cats, they don't like to let on they are in charge). But there have been more than a few who are (were) very visible in that department. Anyway, I digress. Great writing!

[Kim S.]

Chris, this packs a punch.
I think your last stanza, sums up a lot of emotion.
Nicely written and so well expressed. I feel sadness throughout.
Well penned.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Kim. I appreciate you stopping by to review. Have a great weekend.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you make flowers and the gardens they live in speak poetry...
and the turn in this towards the end...the flowers stand at attention like words in a poem...
Dying to save the garden...blooming with blind rage for the hate that makes a garden become desolate...all the tears in the world aren't enough water to save it.
This is so good, Chris....
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Hello j, my friend. I like how you have read this poem. You know how much my garden means to me. Have a lovely weekend.

Chris