I rarely write of war
It grieves me to my core
It brings no lasting peace,
Yet wars will never cease.
My father and twin brother
Much loved by their mother
Joined the army to help fight
For what they thought was right.
Injured and in great pain
They hoped it was not in vain
Seeing their comrades die
They always wondered why.
Then Uncle Bert was hurt so bad
But he'd given everything he had
My father carried him away
Laid him gently down, to say
"I'm not a man to pray
But if I could change this day
I'd gladly take your place
So you wouldn't have to face
Death alone so far away."
And as he wept he lay
Beside his twin on hard dirt earth ...
Together since their very birth.
Suffered in silence for many years
Thoughts of war brought him to tears
He'd lost his brother, identical twin
But the war he'd fought, and helped to win.
|
| Writing Prompt |
Write a poem, any type, about the members of the military present and past. |
 |
In Their Memory
Contest Winner
|
|
|
Author Notes
My father and his identical twin brother Albert (Bert)were part of the famous "Rats of Tobruk" who helped repel the advancing German troops during World War 2.
My father carried his beloved brother from the battlefield after traumatic head injuries, from which he never regained consciousness. His twin brother is buried in a carefully maintained cemetery in Libya. My father remained emotionally scarred from his war experiences.
I hate war, and all that it does to people.
|
|
