Remembrance Day
He risked his life while carrying out his duty to his country and flying a Lancaster Bomber during World War 2.
He is now 89 and still gets together with his flight crew once a year. His rear gunner just died.
Crippled, bent, alone he stays
upon a bench.
No more he plays with children there
upon the square.
It hurts too much for him to bend
to let the small ones condescend
to hear the story
of his glory.
Many years ago they said
as he lay still upon a bed
"You can bet
We won’t forget."
Have we forgotten then so soon
the ones who lived that afternoon
the shelling stopped
and war was not?
Remembering those who died in trench,
forget not him upon the bench.
When passing by give him a break
and stop, and smile and gently shake
his withered hand.
He’ll understand.
By Douglas E. Williams
November 1976
Copyright
Labels: Dad's Poems, Remembrance Day
45 Comments:
Wow!!!! I don't know what else to say except any time Rich and I see a veteran,we always shake his hand and thank him. Usually it's during a fundraiser so we know who the vets are. They're always so surprised when we say thank you.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Your dad's poem is beautiful. Please shake his hand for me...
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Mother, I've noticed that since I switched to Blogger's beta version, everything works better. It only takes a few mnutes to do it and you keep all your stuff. Give it a try. Thanks for the significant post. The Great Generation is so often misunderstood because they believed in things that we've lost in the past decade.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Robin: Thanks Robin. Not many people would do that.
Pauline:Thanks, I'll pass these words on to my Dad while I shake his hand. (Ah, but I'll have to sneak in a hug too!)
Stephen: Theirs was indeed a special era that we'll never fully understand.
I'm hesitant to change things as I don't know what to do if something goes wrong...I don't trust technology! I'll read the info on it. What comes up on my dashboard now is something about the new blogger that is supposed to be better..must be something different than Beta. All you do is check a box and I was even afraid to do that. I'd hate to lose all my posts even though I've got them in e-mail folders.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
This inspires patriotism in me. That was a war that was fought for the right reasons and people like your dad helped in the victory. He must be so tickled that you are still spreading his story far and wide.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
That was inspiring. Thank you.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Your father has clearly provided inspiration in many ways. You are rightly proud. This is a beautiful tribute; the poem, very touching. Please let him know that his contribution to our freedom is recognized and appreciated.
Wondering if he left any Kilroys behind along the way.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Hey Mother,
So do you think that fact that we have not been able to connect these past two weeks is because we were both in need of energy conservation because this day was coming?
I am very interested in the posting problem......I wonder what the messege is?
I need to tell you that my Dad's Father Ernest Lundy was a gunner on a Bomber. Their bomber went down on the coast of France. He was MIA for 9 yrs before he was pronounced dead in abscentia. Funny though, we were given his flight log book that was sent back with his personal belongings when my Dad was a kid. So how does the flight log book not get lost with the plane and crew? I thought they had to carry it on their person? He had 25hrs left to log before his leave.
I have met others who trained in the airforce, including my Mom's Dad, Syd Wilson. Gramps did not fly out. Canada ran out of planes. He promised not to join the British, and he became a medic for Canada instead. I did his European tour in the Medical Corps. When he came home he went into Medicine and Joined Sunnybrook in Pathology.
You asked about my poem. Yes I wrote it. After living in Germany and understanding how difficult it has been for people my age in Germany, where being a passive is not tolerated and one must go through long evaluations to get civic duty instead of military duty for manditory conscription at the end of one's teens.....The people are appauled by those that would choose the military when they were not forced. My friend's are very loving people and love Carl and Alex to bits, but emotionally they have to work very hard to empathise with My Two Guys. I understand their point of view because in Germany the folks truely believe that fascism is still only a breath away in Germany. They don't feel healed. There is a mass of guilt that has seeped through generations there, and they are so afraid....hell will come to them again....
It isn't just our friends though. Carl's Mother hates it. She treats Carl and Alex as if they have completely let her down. She is mean to them and mocks them and belittles them for their decision. That is very difficult. She never ever had any connection or loss in WWII and she has no concept of what other people went through. In the countryside of Newfoundland she was isolated from the hell. She would rather bury her head in the sand, than accept truth.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Barbara:I'm glad his poem inspired you to be patriotic. That certainly was a war worth supporting. He is happy about this tribute and I'll pass on the comments. Thanks.
meno: Again, I'm glad it reached you as he will be.
Kilroy: Thank you so much for eloquent words. he will be happy and proud to read them. Although that "legend" was American and my dad was in the RCAF, I imagines he might have been inclined to "skywrite" it above the German Black Forest a few times...(RATHER QUICKLY, MIND YOU!)
Lynn: Who knows about the blogging era. Strange things do happen with me and technology and Blogger..but it just seemed a little connected to the one flight crew member missing. Maybe he didn't like the fact that he would be missing from an updated photo if there were one?
What a story...Thanks for enlightening me. It is sad that Carl's mom can't accept his and Alex's choices and try to understand them.
I'll have to ask my dad about the log book in question and what the protocol was. Sort of strange.
And I never knew that many German people felt that way...even after all this time? I do like the poem a lot.
Thanks for all this.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
MIV-
First time visiting and you hand me such a beautiful gift.....it brought tears to my eyes, especially that your father wrote it...it speaks so eloquently about aging, a life lived - its significance to us, to future generations...Let it be known that he will not be forgotten, nor his contribution.....you are blessed indeed!
I shall link you up to my poetry blog, as I hope to visit often....how could I stay away from stuff like this???
peace and remembrance to all...
-rdg
ps I am with you on switching to BETA....I'm worried I will loose all my postings....I don't trust technology either......!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Beautiful post, Mother of Invention. Thank you.
Monday, November 13, 2006
I watched some PBS shows on WWII over the weekend and cried. All those guys who went through that are like brothers. My dad was a WWII vet and went to most all of the reunions. I also once tried to post a photo of him in his uniform and it wouldn't take! He died last year at this time.
Monday, November 13, 2006
I see where you get your poetry gene from. That was lovely.
My husband's dad was a captain in the Canadian navy during WWII. He passed on a few years ago but he would have raised his glass to your dad.
Monday, November 13, 2006
How sweet of you to post and show this pictures and what a lovely poem by your father! You have all the reasons to be proud of him and yes: lucky to still have him in your life!
Btw: I'm so sorry you where out of my blog roll, but in now of course!
If you like, your are very welcome to celebrate my first year of blogging anniversary:-)
Monday, November 13, 2006
RDG:
Thanks for all your kind words which I shall pass on to my father. You're right...it is indeed a gift he gave to me and I just passed it on.
I'll link you too, although I don't post half as much poetry as you do!
Yes, I'm not techy inclined at all and am afraid of pushing buttons!
Maggie:
You're welcome...I know you appreciate poetry! Thanks, Maggie.
Colleen:
Those guys had a very special bond in unique circumstances. Only those who were in the war can actually truly understand what it was like. Thanks for reading this and commenting. My dad is very special to me in much the same way yours was to you.
Diana:
Thank you! Yes, he was a great role model for writing! Cheers to Charles' dad as well!
Renny:
Thanks! Yes, you've been reading my blog for quite awhile so have also read a few of my dad's poems and stories.
Re: Blogroll...I don't even think I noticed! It's okay! Sure I'll come celebrate...is there cake?!!!
I think we've been reading each others since about March!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Oh, MOI! What a moving post! It makes me so sad that the veterans might think they're forgotten.
Whether or not I believe in war and fighting, these people fought for our right to live in freedom.
Whether or not we appreciate what they did, we owe the lives we have to the sacrifices they made and suffering they went through.
Your dad does deserve a big hug. We never knew what it was to live through a war such as he did. And thank goodness for it! But it is people like your dad that gave us the peace we have today.
So, the whole world isn't in peace (in fact, looking at the globe Mimi found, only about half of it is), but how much worse could it have been if the wrong people had the power over us!
So, thanks, moi's dad!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Annelisa:
Thanks for your sspecial words. I'll pass on your hug! He spent a lot of his time in your country during the war but I'm not exactly sure where.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Very powerful poem. Your father's words are touching. Beautiful.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Brooksba:
Thanks. I'm passing these comments on to my dad this weekend.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
This is my first visit and I wanted to thank you for your remembrance day post. My dad was an officer in the US Army Air Corp. He never talked about the war and it wasn't until shortly before he died that I learned he was anywhere near D-Day. As his generation leaves us, so do their stories. Thank you for sharing your father's poem with us.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Listmaker: Thanks for the visit and comment! Too bad you're dad didn't share his stories. I wonder why? Anyway, you can be proud he fought for our freedom.
I inadvertently deleted the comment above this one! Sorry.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Don't know how to print comments! Arghh!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
MOI,
hi,,,,I followed Lynette to you. :-)
This is a wonderful tribute,,and a truly heartfelt poem. I too salute your Dad,,,as a poet, and as a builder of freedom.
Seems we all know someone who was connected to that war. My uncle was a bomber pilot also,,,shot down,,,and survived 2 years of prison camp life. He recently passed away, and his family had "Soaring Free" put on his stone.
Thanks for this post, and to all the men on benches!
~Babs
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Hi MOI. Thank you for sharing your wonderful dad and...the many men who fought for peace during the 2nd World War and those who maintain peace today. Lovely post indeed.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
This post in your blog is so very touching! MOI, I can see why you are so very proud of your Dad... what an amazing man, to fly one of the bombers in WWII! He is also a very talented poet! My Dad, may he rest in peace, was also in WWII, in the Philipines under Gen. McArthur. My Dad never talked about the war to us kids though.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Wilsonart: Thanks so much for the visit and comment. I am sorry for your dad's passing but what a life he had and experience fighting for us to be free. I love the "Soaring Free" on his marker. My dad loves the poem, "High Flight" which I think I will have printed and put on a wall plack.
Twilite: Thanks so much for visiting and commenting on a post that is very dear to me.
Lynette: Thanks. His three daughters also think he is amazing!
Your dad probably had a good reason not to share too much, but maybe he shared with your mom.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Your Dad is not only brave he's a talented writer too. You have every right to be proud of him and I hope he will be with you for many more years to come.
Thanks for sharing him and his poetry. x
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Wow! This is fantastic. I've popped over from Akelmalu's blog, and so glad I did, too. Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece by a war poet - your own dad.
My favourite lines are:
'Have we forgotten then so soon
the ones who lived that afternoon
the shelling stopped
and war was not?'
Sunday, November 11, 2007
akelamalu: Thanks so much for commenting on a post that is so special.
Julia: Thanks very much for dropping by and reading this special post. I love those lines too because he sees a fuller view...it's not just those who died. but those who lived who deserve our praise and remembrance.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
What a wonderful wonderful Poem...And I love that your Dad is still here at 88! Especially given that he flew during WW II. I think it's great, too, that this crew gets together every year...They lived through things together, none of us will ever share or even know....And of course there are many (Well, not as many as there were...) like your Father, who's WAR Experiences are imprinted in their beings, forever and ever...! Like all the men and woman in Iraq now, and those who have come home wounded and maimed...I think of ALL of them today, too on this Rememberence Day---Here, now called Veterans Day....Kiss your dear Father for me and tell him, "Thanks", from someone in Los Angeles
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Such heartfelt words carrying so much truth. Hugs to your dad and you.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Old lady of the hills: Thanks so much and I will pass on your wonderful comments to him. My generation knows very little of what it must have been like.
Coll: Will do! Thanks very much.
Monday, November 12, 2007
M of I
I love checking your site and listening to you sing. I've been humming this melody for days now wherever I go.
Thanks for sharing about your Dad ... I wish mine was around to hug, but he died of cancer when I was 30.
Thanks for stopping by my site and leaving your thoughts. I left a comment there, but don't know if you'll see it ... so I'll add those thoughts here:
--I'm relieved to report that I was completing Student Teaching in 1966 (working with 2nd and 6th grade classrooms) so I couldn't have been your 7th grade teacher after all :)
--Raising 3 girls show ME you're strong. Parenting is not for sillies.
--Methinks I like your Dad. I've got LOTS of grey hair (that change started in my 30s and is still going strong) and wrinkles (thanks to my Dad's side of the family) and have always viewed them as signs of character, wisdom, maturity, etc.
Hugs and blessings,
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Beautiful!
I can see where you get YOUR gift!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Storyteller:Thanks! I've been told it's catchy!
I am sorry you lodt your dad at an early age really. I'll give mine an extra hug for you and your dad!
Ah, so there is only 10 years or so between us. My sister went to teacher's college in fall '68.
Wow! You raised 3 girls all on your own?! Bravo! I could not do that.
Gewells: Thanks..I am flattered you think I even have a wisp of what he has...I think he should have written many more peieces but he only did a few.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Yes ... it's catchy. Have you published the words anywhere on your site?
I'm sorry for the confusion. That's what I get for cutting & pasting from my site. Actually, my parenting reference was to YOU (in response to your comment that you didn't think you could be as brave as me) ... I thought you said you had 3 girls and I believe parenthood takes courage. We had no kids of our own, but after my "ex" left, I did invite my walking buddy (a single mom with three teenage daughters) to live with me while she returned to school for a degree. Her girls were 10, 12, and 13 when they arrived and they shared my home for about 4 years ... so I've had a little "parenting" experience.
In retrospect, it's an interesting case of be careful what you ask for because God answers prayer in unpredictable ways :)
Those were wonderful healing years for me and I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Yaeh - The candian effort during WW 2 is not well known. But some of here in Norway still remember "Little Norway" where the Norwegians were thaught to fly - the airplane your father so well handled.
It's a fact your father and my mother both are 88 this year.
I say no more than I like to red your blog.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Storyteller: Weird, but I was sure I answered this one! Well, you were lucky to be a huge part of their lives and vice versa. I am so glad you appreciated me e-mailing you the song/words!
Toraa: Thanks for your connecting for me something I kind of knew but had really forgotten. II'll elate this to my dad tonight when I see him and find out more!
Your parents were the same vintage as mine!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
What a wonderful tribute to your dad and all veterans. Beautiful, MOI.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
That's heart-touching indeed!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
That's a beautiful poem and it really touches my heart as well.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I must have missed this last year; a touching tribute by your father.
I recently read of a procession of the Canadian war dead (98 is it)through a city to the graveyard with thousands of people along the route to help mourn. A fitting dedication to your soldiers.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
I'm late in getting by. What a wonderful post, and what a wonderful poem! As others have said, the gene was passed on to you.
You asked about Ella's diet. I mentioned the candy at Halloween. She was wanting to get her hands into it all, and I suggested to the parents if they put it out of sight, she would forget it. Actually with a CFer, they need salt and fat in their diet. Go figure.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Look at all these comments!
Hey, show the ol boy this that I found...
http://www.drinkingsongs.net/html/books-and-manuscripts/1950s/1950ca-the-three-hats-(spiral)/vol-1/index.htm
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
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