DUNKIRK - A tribute

The anniversary of 'D'day has prompted me to 'Repost' this one written 10 - 15 years ago.

                        DUNKIRK - A Tribute

Little ships at bay ...listen to what they say.

Veterans of long gone war, returned to Dunkirk today.

From Britain's welcoming shores to commemorate the bravery

of Four Hundred Thousand soldiering men and women

             who showed great courage then.

With inborn determination and pride ...

pride in their country, confidence in their leaders,

who like Churchill helped make Britain 'Great'.

Leaders of might and steel - in full command!

They soldiered on into the night...in defence of

             of what is good, is right.

Then came the timely call to retreat, strength in wane:

 but God renewed that strength and with minutes to spare

              they lined the shores of Dunkirk.

Fleeing silently, in disciplined hordes ...

to little ships anxiously lining the shores.

Poignant memories of the hour that heralded dawn:

captured in this tribute from grateful men ... 

humble and unassuming men who felt it was 'the call of duty' 

who spoke with pride of a job 'well done' and who

show gratitude to those who gave their lives, stayed behind

proudly to serve their country to the end...

      one last stand to rid the world of Hitler's tyranny.

For 75 years have now gone past, yet recalling days of exhaustion

but of hope - hope in reaching Britain's friendly shores -

thoughts of anxiously awaiting family and friends,

of those allied soldiers who stood side by side to defend

who gave up their lives in a hail of German shells

yet as they celebrate, plans are being made to continue 

coming to those shores in honour of brave comrades

           who are with them no more.

Created 10-15 years ago and retrieved from the archives to honour these brave men.

Author's Note

As we celebrated I felt the urge to retrieve and post this tribute.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Dear kitty, I am pleased you managed to retrieve this poem from your archives, it was well worth the effort. I know it took you a while to find it. Your wonderful words sum up everything about those times and those people. Our people and I am so proud of them and will be forever in their debt. Never to be forgotten. Beautifully penned kitty.

Chris

[kitty]

Thank you. Was so emotional for me watching the play back of yesterday's events. Was tearful at times. So proud of their war against tyranny and their victory over oppression, affording us freedom.

[Chris Shaw]

I have been in tears today as well watching the coverage from the Bayeux cemetery. All those young men,17 upwards. Makes you weep.

[kitty]

Bravest of the brave they were. How united people were then and humble in the service of their country.

[Chris Shaw]

Yes, they almost seem like a different breed. Service, duty and love of country. What happened I ask myself now?

[kitty]

i am proud of the way the media has covered the celebrations.

[Chris Shaw]

I have to agree. The coverage and respect shown was excellent.

[Franco]

I'm glad you brought this poem out, for it is very powerful one in many ways. We can only imagine what those soldiers went through the resolve and courage that they displayed has no rival. Great poem also in writing. "We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." I love this quote.

[NotUsinganymore]

Very nice farewell poem. I don't know much about history or even about my own country. I enjoyed it. It was a very sad poem. I wish people would be more kind and not start wars.

[kitty]

Thank you Jung for passing by my side of the pond. It is in listening in to the commentaries on the D-day celebrations that I realized how many countries were involved - it being world war. These brave men/women fought bravely against Hitlers tyranny to give us freedom.

[NotUsinganymore]

Interesting. Thanks for the info!

[kitty]

U R welcome

[Lea Sheryn]

This is a touching tribute to the soldiers who fought for our lives and our freedoms. All those who served deserve all our respect and all the honors we can bestow upon them.

[kitty]

Thank you so much Lee for this review, it means a lot to have someone share mutual respect for those brave men/women who gave their all.

[Lea Sheryn]

You're welcome, Kitty.

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Your words are so relevant to the world we live in today ... without those brave souls, everything we value would have been lost! Great reflective write my friend ... Bravo ... and wonderful re-sharing of your feelings! :-)

[kitty]

Gratitude to men/women who gave their all. Thank you so much for a lovely review. We should sing their praises always for the freedom they gave us with an ultimate sacrifice.

[Stella Armour]

Oh Kitty, i have been in floods of tears listening to the stories of the D Day veterans, they are a breed apart and we will never see the likes of them again ... bless them all, those who returned and those who didn't ♥

[kitty]

We owe so much to them yet this generation don't seem to care or know how much of a sacrifice they made to give us freedom. Thank you for dropping in with a lovely review.

[Stella Armour]

I agree Kitty, the younger generations seem to think WW2 and the holocaust are just stories , they have no comprehension of what really happened and it is so sad ...

[kitty]

Good the media and tabloid are able to highlight their importance. Good weather? - possibly!

[Ted Kniffen]

Well done, Kitty and a fitting commemoration of the sailors in that flotilla of little ships that braved the choppy waters to rescue an army. Without them Britain was in serious trouble. Your poem is most fitting today.
Thank you.

[kitty]

Respect due not only to our men but to our Canadian, American and other allies who worked together to give us freedom. Thank you for reviewing this piece. It stood in the archives for years. Glad I brought it out - in their honour.