Poppies and Baby's Breath

Young men left all they had known
foxhole faith so far from home.
There is no room for ambivalence
while mortars steal your innocence.
 
Mustard gas and blistered lungs
dying heroes left unsung.
Doughboys hum pack up your troubles
while their friends lie under rubble.

So on this day filled with elevens
pray that all lay down their weapons.
Peace it splinters and decays,
our broken world in disarray.

Bow your heads for those now gone
and hope today we might move on
past the carnage, revenge and death,
hold tight to poppies and baby's breath.

Reviews

[Baby Ricochet]

WWI. The epic of Epic catastrophes. You can't even say it was of biblical proportions because it dwarfs everything in the bible. (Anything that might have actually happened anyway) WWI only plays second fiddle to it's b*****d off spring WWII in sheer scope of global insanity and yet their are many who seem to have forgotten about it. That's just wrong.

[icelandicblue]

So true...the further in time we get away from it the dimmer the memories. All wars are terrible but the world had never seen anything like it before. It was said to be the war to end all wars but as you said WWII took its place. Armistice Day, Nov. 11 came out of WWI so I thought I'd write about that. Both my grandfathers fought in it and my dad fought in WWII and yet what I know of both primarily comes from books. Thanks so much for reading and commenting on this one. Loved your "b*****d offspring" comment.

[Baby Ricochet]

WWI and the occupation of Iraq have several parallels. Those who started both grossly miscalculated what they were unleashing, both quickly spiraled out of control, there was no real victory for any side and they both spawned b*****d offspring including all out war on civilians and genocide and the most messed up part about it all is, it's going to happen again. Sooner or later I believe the US is going to get sucked into a ground war along side Israel against a massive private army much like ISL who rose from ISL's ashes. All we need is another terrorist type event on US soil and a brutally hawkish administration combined with an assault on Israel and it's Armageddon in the middle east with the US leading the charge. Mark my words, this is very, very likely to happen.

[icelandicblue]

I agree with you. Many years ago I was told by someone the end of the world would come out of a war in the middle east. We never learn.

[Coyote Poetry]

A sad poem about the reality of war. Men who saw combat rarely talk of it. Better to forget and leave behind. World War one was a war that should of taught us. No winner in war. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[icelandicblue]

My father, who was a veteran of WWII rarely talked about it. It was only a year or two before his death that he told me matter of factly that he was on a ship in Okinawa Bay when the peace treaty was being signed. That blew my mind...I majored in history and love it and even that tidbit was hard for him to share. Thank you Coyote.

[Coyote Poetry]

I have a step-father who is 88 years old. He served four years in Europe during WW2. He won't discuss it. Your father was part of history. You need to ensure he isn't forgotten.

[Stonz P.]

Apologies for the late review but I kind of forgot... Sorry :/

I like the imagery and the message it sends out is universal. War is corrupt and the lies they enforce to hide their crimes is the real blasphemy that is going on. The rhyme scheme is perfect and the ones who practice them should learn from this piece alone HOW it should be practised.

"Bow your heads for those now gone
and hope today we might move on
past the carnage, revenge and death,
hold tight to poppies and baby's breath."

These lines stick with me.. Thank you for sharing, Ma'am :)

[icelandicblue]

Thank you for reading Stonz.

[Samuel Pennell]

This is a masterpiece, Icelandic! Really fantastic! Poppies and baby's breath, such delicate, devastating things. A great tribute to our heroes for Veterans Day. "Dying heroes" is such a great term, along with "friends under rubble." Really great stuff here.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks Samuel. I try to write a tribute each Nov. 11th.

[DoormanDan]

This is a very, no, an EXTREMELY good poem. Hats off to you sir, you have a good talent!

[icelandicblue]

Thanks so much DoormanDan.

[Confuser]

Missed this on Veterans Day, but it's a great tribute to our heroes everyday. Last nite on a program, someone, we need to be grateful for our blessings. He spoke of how a Veteran wanted to shake his hands but didn't have any. Thank you. It is a beautiful message. Let's do pray they come home safety.

[icelandicblue]

Yes Confuser, our prayers are with them. Thank you.

[Confuser]

y/w............................................................

[TL Boehm]

this is a poignant one. Like so many my family is filled with Vets - some killed in action, some still around. I owe them all a debt I can't pay.
The line about singing in the midst of carnage, that hit me. Its a strong vision and so true of war - how we act in the middle of it. Well done.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks Tammy, you are right there is no way we can ever repay such a debt. Thanks so much for commenting.

[fireblossom]

My great uncle John McCrae wrote 'In Flanders Fields'. Your poem does tribute to the tone of war. Like "Flanders" it is short and pointed. Well done.

John was a military man and felt the war needed more men. He was a field surgeon for an artillery unit but was eventually assigned to set up a battle hospital in Northern France. The poem was written after he lost a good friend to combat.

Here's his poem for reference to my comment:

In Flanders Fields
By John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies grow,
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

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.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

[icelandicblue]

I am very familiar with that beautiful poem. I don't think another poem of poppies can compare. I appreciate you sharing your family history. His poem is a work of art.

[Beccy]

It seems that mankind is genetically programmed for conflict, even so-called neighbours sometimes descend into argument over something as trivial as a garden fence. So hard to understand really, when this beautiful planet we were gifted has so much to offer. I wonder if one day the conflict will ever end; I would like to think so, but thus far the jury is still out.

Beccy.

[icelandicblue]

It seems we have not changed much since the beginning but our weapons have. Thanks so much for the review.

[The Hampstead Poet]

This is a stunning and wrenching reminder of the past. Your words so perfectly capture the suffering caused by World War l, and the scars left by every war. Thank you for, on this day, remembering the survivors and their families, and the conflict we must never forget.

[icelandicblue]

Thank you so much for you review. And yes, we must never forget.

[NoelHC]

I have been reading a collection of poems written by young soldiers of the First World War, or the Great War, as that generation called it, as it was to be the war to end all wars.
It is hard to believe that nothing seems to be learned, but the world is in as precarious a position as it was 100 years ago when that war started.
Very well stated, and written.

[icelandicblue]

I agree. I have read many of Wilfred Owen's poems. They are remarkably jarring.