dedalus Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 No blinding sunlight of tropical day nor secrecy of northern night can further mask this desolation: an idea is not responsible for the lives of those who hold it. Flotsam, jetsam, such ribald anarchic terms. Death was kind to you: a scant scattering of mourners, myself among them. The gabbled service somewhere off a slip road from the M5 was horrible. Predictably so. I could hear your dry chuckle. I shall attend your funeral, old boy, or else you shall attend mine. I remember you saying that. Was that Phnom Phen, Vientiane, Saigon back in the bad old days? Perhaps it was Clapham Junction. People live as long as other people live who still remember. Quote Drown your sorrows in drink, by all means, but the real sorrows can swim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdelano Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Touched deeply. We no longer call it Armistice Day here. I usually read "Into the Valley of Death..." and I remember my brother buried by a bulldozer on Guam, a hero at eighteen. Well written with dignified and disgusted mood. No one here seems to know why the eleventh hour of the eleventh month is marked on calendars. Jesus. Even when when the three elevens line up every century. After Lord Cardigan's famous day, but...hell, you know what I mean. I guess I'll go find my copy of All Quiet on the Western Front, by Remarque. It's now called Veteran's Day--lump 'em all in together. The war to end all wars was a nice catch phrase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badger11 Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 This poems works for me. Some of the phrases are familiar, but that doesn't dilute the sense of sensitivity and realism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Eloquently done with a final stanza reminiscent of the ancients. Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David W. Parsley Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 Hi Brendan, I like the unusual application of "ribald, anarchic" here, inviting contemplation of the motives of those who send others into harm's way. I am particularly impressed by the stanza, an idea is not responsible for the lives of those who hold it. Very profound and well stated, with a touch of irony. As badger11 mentions, there are some "familiar" phrases in the poem - for me they kind of stand out more starkly beside a stanza like this one. The last stanza, in particular, would settle more weightily for me, if it were to be cited as traditional wisdom and analyzed by the speaker - could express any one or combination of sentiments: hope; skepticism; certainty; objectivity; or something else, something ineffable passed through the hands of the poet. I like this work and the chosen time of its posting. Thanks, - Dave P.S. Yes, I'm wearing a tie. P.P.S. Have not had a full moon episode in many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_con Posted November 12, 2011 Share Posted November 12, 2011 As usual Brendan absolutely pitch perfect and more on Armistice Day (The hidden history of Veterans Day) Many thanks for this. DC& J Quote thegateless.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Hi Brendan, I always enjoy reading your work, especially the historical ones. As long as other people live who still remember, but it is poetry such as yours that keep the remembered alive beyond memory. ~~Tink Quote ~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~ For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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