For love of Country- A Remembrance Day Poem

 

For love of Country

For love of country

They gave their time

Their love and their lives

It took the best of families’ sons

And daughters who gave their all

Working overseas and in the wartime plants

Some left the country which they loved

                                           As soldiers they fought so bravely

                                           In foxholes and on fields they suffered 

                                           Giving so freely, for they sought to save

                                           Us from madmen who wanted all

                                           Countries to bow to them

                                           And their mistaken ideals

                                           They put aside misgivings and fought on

Their families suffered dearly

Without them by their sides                           

Missing time as children

Grew without a parent by their side

Parents had a hole in hearts

Where children should abide

When soldiers came to the door

To tell them of their loss

So we set aside a day in November

Every single year to remember

These brave souls who died for us

Fought for us, gave their time for us

But one day is not enough

For their sacrifice so dear

So we remember each day of the year

From the rising of the sun

Until the setting of the sun

We will remember

And celebrate their lives

And thank them for our freedom

That reigns because they fought for us.

©Sheilagh Lee November 9, 2013

Sacrifice

Three Word Wednesday-Sacrifice 

Prompts:   

Amplify, verb: Increase the volume of (sound), esp. using an amplifier; increase the amplitude of (an electrical signal or other oscillation); cause to become more marked or intense; enlarge upon or add detail to (a story or statement).

Criticize, verb: Indicate the faults of (someone or something) in a disapproving way.

Moan, noun: A long, low sound made by a person expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure; a complaint that is perceived as trivial and not taken seriously by others; verb: make a long, low sound expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure; (of a thing) make a sound resembling this.

       Recently a number of students at the University of Ottawa decided to wear a white poppy for Remembrance Day which takes place on November 11 each year. Traditional a red and with a green or black centred poppy has been worn since 1920 to commemorate soldiers who died and remember their sacrifice for their country. The Royal Canadian Legion in Canada takes funds from the sale of these lapel (red) poppies to...

.Assist any person (and their dependants) who is serving (or who has honourably served) in the Canadian Forces and are in need of assistance.

.Legion Veterans Transition Program (at UBC): a relief & recovery program for trauma-related stress from military service.

.Housing for homeless veterans, such as Cockrell House in Victoria

.Disaster relief when declared by governments.

At least now they are starting to realize the hurt they've caused and will not hand out white poppies at Remembrance ceremonies. I hope they now understand that red poppies are to remember the sacrifice and help veterans not glorify war.

       This is my response to those white poppy students.

Sacrifice

                                                        

The drumbeat sounds

 It echoes in their minds   

Amplified in time and space

Of carnage and blood, soiled ground

Their comrades’ lives’ spilled

They feel forgotten by today’s youth

Who talk of peace?

And moan of glorifying war

White poppies at their breasts.

And if they dare to speak

The men who fought so hard to

Gain that peace

They’re criticized and told that poppies

Red with a green or black centre

Denote celebrating war

Their ignorance does astound

Poppies are worn for remembrance

Of lives lost and sacrifice made

Not to glorify war

But to recall

How hard the forfeit

Those soldiers made

To honour

And remember the ones

Who brought our peace

So that we never forget their sacrifice.
Long may they be remembered

©Sheilagh Lee November 6, 2013

Hallowe'en

Shadows lengthening, bony fingers curling, 

Reaching for me, I scream.

The costumed skeleton laughs.

©Sheilagh Lee October 25, 2013

Happy Birthday Debbie

I think of when we were young

You held my hand and we ran

Hand in hand through fields

Playing hide and seek

Jumping rope, playing jacks

You told me stories

And were my constant friend

I bragged to all about

My brainy sister 

Beautiful and tall

When the girls were bigger than me

Picked on me, washed my face

In trios in the snow

You fought my battles

Our mother and our aunt

Loved to dress us alike

Though you hated it

I loved being just like you

I wanted to be like you

Smart, and self-assured

I was proud when people said

 I looked like you.

We both grew up, married

 You had a son

I had a daughter

 They played together

We smiled our family had blossomed and grown

You had another son I, another daughter

Then tragedy came knocking at the door

Cancer took you away, too young.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder

If we’d look similar still, if you were here now

I look for your smile in my own face

For I miss it so.

I hate that you aren’t here

Enjoying your children, grandchildren

You should be here

I miss you still.

But today I'll think of all the good things

We did together. all the ways you were

My big sister, brave, fearless and strong

I'll think of your love and I'll be happy

That I spent time with you

My beloved big sister.

Happy Birthday Sis!

©Sheilagh Lee August 29, 2013

Missing Rose

I miss my friend

I miss our conversations

The easy way the words flowed

I miss the person who meant so much

To all she touched in her short life

Sometimes special people come along

Who make the world a better place

Rose was one, a smile always on her face
She opened up her heart

To include all, not just some

She is remembered for a heart

As big as the ocean, and deeper then the sea

Filled with compassion, understanding to see

The love she had, for all,
She considered friends and family,

We are all better people for knowing Rose

The world, a sadder place without her

We will remember her and all she was

With simple acts of kindness

We will honour our dear friend

And remember our Rose

                       RIP Rose July 27,1959 - May 30,2012

 ©Sheilagh Lee May 30, 2013

Remember Me

Twenty years how can it be so?

Twenty years without your smile

Twenty years without your advice

Twenty years of tears, that still come and go

Twenty years how can it be so long?

I miss you sis, your smiling face

Your advice that sometimes annoyed me

I miss your steadfast loyalty

Your warrior heart that beat so fast

And your kindness that came shining through.

Dear sis, remember me from heaven above

Because I 'll always remember you.

©Sheilagh Lee March 25, 2013

Down The Rabbit Hole

Down the rabbit hole I go,

Falling, and spiraling, into pain

Relentlessly it captures me

The flame igniting, burning, bright

It knows no restraints, it knows no limits

It gives no quarter, as it continues its conquest

Wooing softly, then cascading noisily as it seizes

It’s quarry with infinite force

Tightening on me in knots, and waves

Burrowing, kneading, into every joint

I fight with all my might

I want to scream and cry, and shout

As the throbbing goes on, and on, and on

No relief in sight, the pain increasing

Still continues cumulatively

Like a snowball it grows bigger

Sleep eludes, and lingers on

The edge of pain

The climb out of the hole

So deep, I cannot creep

But only hope it stops burrowing

Takes a break, and goes away
Tomorrow, I will creep out of the hole
It will not defeat me.

© Sheilagh Lee February 22, 2013