Sea Spray and bullets
D - Day Plus Sixty (years)
Lines written to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the
D - Day Landings 6th June 1944.
"Were nearing the beach" I heard him cry.
As sea spray and bullets stung the sky.
"Keep your rifles up and your heads down",
"Keep close to the lines or your drown!"
I looked across and saw your face,
You looked at me as your finger traced,
The sign of the cross upon your chest,
As my heart sank to it's dreariest.
Then, all of a sudden we hit shore,
Down went the ramp and crashed to the floor.
Down we ran into the cold seawater,
Behind us more ships before us slaughter!
Then onto the beach and race for the land,
Down came a shell, which throw up sand.
Weaving through traps and razor wire,
Knee deep in dead, this bloody mire!
Until at the cliff I dive for cover,
Looking for you, my Christian, brother.
You lay on the beach few yards away,
Crying for help amid the affray.
I tried to reach you; I called out your name.
But the bullet it got you and put out your flame.
The flame of life was now gone your face,
As you lay dead upon this foreign place.
Now sixty years on I return to the shore,
And stands at the place were you lay on the floor.
And remember the things that we were to have done
If it were not for the bullet from that enemy gun.
"As memories fade and eyes grow dim we will remember them,
The brave men who gave there lives on the 6th June 1944.
God rest their mortal souls, Amen"
Andrew Whitfield (Poet)
© 1st June 2004
London, England,
Sea Spray and bullets - D - Day Plus Sixty (years)
Cameron, I have just read Keith Douglas poem 'Vergissmeinnicht' and yes I can see where you are coming from. Thanks for the comment, sadly I'm not in that poets league.cameron wrote:Hi Andy,
Reminds me a bit of Keith Douglas' great WW2 poem Vergissmeinnicht
C
POETS NOTE: A copy of my poem is at present held on file in the U.S. National D-Day Museum in Texas, for future generations to read.