Poem called FOR FREEDOM

FOR FREEDOM

The radio says we are at war. 'Oh Dad I'm scared,
We'll surely die in this freezing wet shelter'
'What's it all for?' 'For freedom child'
The heavens explode when the guns reply
To the ferocious beasts who roam the sky,
They rain their death on those below,
The innocents who stand for freedom.

The all-clear sounds, another day.
'Go to school' I hear you say.
I cycle forth across the heath,
The trees and heathers seem the same,
The soldiers wave, their guns are stilled
and hidden under shrouds of grey,
They wait for the chance to kill
The ravagers that undermine our freedom.

Home again, another raid,
The nights are long 'I'm so afraid'
The bombs are close - the whine is loud - all hell erupts!
I taste the soil, I see Dad's body lying there, the price is paid-
The guns a frenzy do reply, the planes drone on,
Flak lights the sky, but where am I?

My life then changed, I volunteered to wear the Khaki cloth,
I trained as an electrician and was sent to army camp,
Made many friends of different creeds and learnt to laugh a lot.
The Nissen hut was freezing cold, straw mattresses were slim,
We huddled round the coke fire and sang our records thin.

The Burnham woods held secrets,
A mass of army vehicles were hidden in their shade,
For months we worked on trucks and tanks
To waterproof and engine tune,
Each vehicle prepared with care, inspected, cleaned and ready made
For its foray into unknown hell - for freedom.

Back to work it's early morn, the trees are strange,
No camouflage about their muddy base,
The shock of loss is evident - excitement takes its place,
Only deep tracks that lead one way to the road and to the coast.
The hidden army went its way, I stood in awe
My thoughts decried the loss of life that must take place on 'D-Day'

The war was won and peace was gained,
I look back now and hope that heroism and bravery were not in vain.
We sacrified and stemmed our tears,
Now in old age I have my fears -
'Take care you world -have you really learned from our wartime years spent in search of freedom'

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