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Poetry Magnum Opus

Victims


Frank E Gibbard

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Frank E Gibbard

The soldier’s widow by a military grave,

 

Heard her husband had been very brave,

 

Made needed (“no! unneeded”) sacrifice,

 

Had paid the ultimate (“no! futile”) price.

 

As the chaplain intoned a hero’s praises

 

She endured the empty clichéd phrases.

 

For Queen and country (“not for me!”)

 

We victims the true cost of our liberty?

 

A memorial medal thrust in a drawer,

 

What for goodness’ sake was it all for?

 

 

 

 

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goldenlangur

Hi Frank,

 

I like how you posit the alternative to the glorification of war and sacrifice of young lives with the use of parenthesis:

 

Heard her husband had been very brave,

 

Made needed ("no! unneeded") sacrifice,

 

Had paid the ultimate ("no! futile") price.

 

...

 

For Queen and country ("not for me!")

 

A pertinent question indeed:

 

We victims the true cost of our liberty?

 

A memorial medal thrust in a drawer,

 

What for goodness' sake was it all for?

 

 

 

 Thank you.

 

 

goldenlangur

 

 

Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Frank E Gibbard
Well expressed, Frank. Especially today.

 

Tony

 

Thanks Tony and Golden for your replies. Frank

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