Brave Robert
A Cautionary Tale56 total reviews
Comment from Just2Write
I like how you take us from the boy to the man, Tony. The rhyming is uncomplicated and as such gets out of the way of the real story being told.
I don't know which is worse - how little boys used to get toy soldiers and cannons on birthdays and at Christmas, so that they could imagine the glory (and gory) bits of war - to help prepare them for what was inevitably come - or how we now give them dollies and passive toys, then send them off to war to kill and maim. Both ways must be horrific.
My father served in WWII with the Canadian infantry. I didn't know much about his participation, other than that he served in Belgium and was billeted with a Belgian family. That is, until one day - when I was cleaning an old hairbrush, and burned the hair in an ashtray. He started physically shaking, and I thought he was going to be sick. He yelled something at me about the smell of burning flesh - I don't recall what now - and he had to leave the house and didn't come back for hours.
What horrors I had inadvertently stirred in his memory were never shared with me. And I thank my lucky stars that I will never know.
Rose.
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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I like how you take us from the boy to the man, Tony. The rhyming is uncomplicated and as such gets out of the way of the real story being told.
I don't know which is worse - how little boys used to get toy soldiers and cannons on birthdays and at Christmas, so that they could imagine the glory (and gory) bits of war - to help prepare them for what was inevitably come - or how we now give them dollies and passive toys, then send them off to war to kill and maim. Both ways must be horrific.
My father served in WWII with the Canadian infantry. I didn't know much about his participation, other than that he served in Belgium and was billeted with a Belgian family. That is, until one day - when I was cleaning an old hairbrush, and burned the hair in an ashtray. He started physically shaking, and I thought he was going to be sick. He yelled something at me about the smell of burning flesh - I don't recall what now - and he had to leave the house and didn't come back for hours.
What horrors I had inadvertently stirred in his memory were never shared with me. And I thank my lucky stars that I will never know.
Rose.
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Thank you, Rose, both for your kind review and your own recollections about your father. I appreciate you sharing them with me. Best wishes, Tony.
Comment from giovannimariatommaso
This is an excellent poem I can just see every visual and feel all the emotions packed in this poem. My Dad also served but in WWll & he didn't speak of it either; my Uncle Sammy served in the Philippines & he didn't speak of it either.
I didn't see any spelling or grammatical errors; flows well and rhyming scheme through out.
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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This is an excellent poem I can just see every visual and feel all the emotions packed in this poem. My Dad also served but in WWll & he didn't speak of it either; my Uncle Sammy served in the Philippines & he didn't speak of it either.
I didn't see any spelling or grammatical errors; flows well and rhyming scheme through out.
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Many thanks for your review, Giovanni, and for the six stars. I think I can understand why your father and uncle did not speak of their war experiences.
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Y/W GMT
Comment from skye
So many of the soldiers do not speak of their experiences, probably because the reality would overwhelm them with grief and sadness.
We call our young men to do unspeakable things for freedom, then wonder why they turn inward, building a stone defense that no one can break through.
Excellent.
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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So many of the soldiers do not speak of their experiences, probably because the reality would overwhelm them with grief and sadness.
We call our young men to do unspeakable things for freedom, then wonder why they turn inward, building a stone defense that no one can break through.
Excellent.
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Thank you for your review, Skye, and for your observations, which I think are absolutely spot on.
Comment from chasennov
"Brave Robert" This type of history fascinates me, and I thought your poem you created here was fantastic in the sense that it related to a real event of history. Well done, Tony.
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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"Brave Robert" This type of history fascinates me, and I thought your poem you created here was fantastic in the sense that it related to a real event of history. Well done, Tony.
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Thanks very much for your review, Chasennov.
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You are most welcome, Tony.
Comment from zanya
Yes other times and other mores 'kept his tears locked up inside' - in these times we are twittering and tweeting even, it appears, our most mundane thoughts - one wonders which format is best - the tone of caution here reflects aptly these earlier times
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Yes other times and other mores 'kept his tears locked up inside' - in these times we are twittering and tweeting even, it appears, our most mundane thoughts - one wonders which format is best - the tone of caution here reflects aptly these earlier times
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Thanks for your kind review, Zanya. I think that there may be a happy medium between stoic silence and the cult of endless twittering! I hope so, anyway! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Erik McGinley
Another nice poem.
You always seem to get the wording done well and express your subject clearly and succinctly.
Although I find it interesting to know the provocation for many poems, I think this one would have stood better without. Like the sentinel in the image.
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Another nice poem.
You always seem to get the wording done well and express your subject clearly and succinctly.
Although I find it interesting to know the provocation for many poems, I think this one would have stood better without. Like the sentinel in the image.
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 19-Aug-2014
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Thanks, Erik. I think you are right about the image. I had originally selected one fron FanArt but found that someone else was currently using it.
Comment from CHIGYSISKI
THIS IS A LOVELY POEM ABOUT A CHILD'S UPBRINGING TO BE STRONG AS 'A REAL MAN'. AS A SOLDIER HE BOTTLED UP HIS EMOTION.I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A LOT OF SOLDIERS WOULD BENEFIT FROM COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY. THE LAST STANZA IS PERFECT AND VERY GRAPHIC.I LIKE THE IDEA OF TEARS BOTTLED UP,SWAMPING HIS HEART AND DROWNING HIM. WELL DONE!
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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THIS IS A LOVELY POEM ABOUT A CHILD'S UPBRINGING TO BE STRONG AS 'A REAL MAN'. AS A SOLDIER HE BOTTLED UP HIS EMOTION.I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A LOT OF SOLDIERS WOULD BENEFIT FROM COUNSELING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY. THE LAST STANZA IS PERFECT AND VERY GRAPHIC.I LIKE THE IDEA OF TEARS BOTTLED UP,SWAMPING HIS HEART AND DROWNING HIM. WELL DONE!
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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I appreciate your careful reading of my poem, CHIGYSISKI, and your accurate paraphrase of it. Thank you very much for taking the time to review.
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
What a beautiful poem, Tony. So many men died heroic deaths in the first and second world wars, but I think the WW1 was the words. I couldn't believe how many tens of thousands died in the first day, most still just children. Your poem names a name, which could be any one of those who died. Your father was so lucky to have survived, but what he doesn't tell you, he probably doesn't want to remember. Lovely. :) Sandra
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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What a beautiful poem, Tony. So many men died heroic deaths in the first and second world wars, but I think the WW1 was the words. I couldn't believe how many tens of thousands died in the first day, most still just children. Your poem names a name, which could be any one of those who died. Your father was so lucky to have survived, but what he doesn't tell you, he probably doesn't want to remember. Lovely. :) Sandra
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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Thank you so much for this sensitive review, Sandra. My father passed away many years ago and so I shall never know. He had the even greater burden of commanding an RAF fighter airfield in WW2 and sending young men to almost certain death on a daily basis. I think this affected him even more than his own experiences in the first war.
Comment from Janet Foor
I have several uncles who served in WWII but most of them don't talk about the war. It's like a part of them is locked away either to protect us or them.
"Brave Robert" is a very well written poem. Powerful words that go strait to the heart. Good rhyming couplets and alliteration throughout.
Well done.
Blessings
Janet
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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I have several uncles who served in WWII but most of them don't talk about the war. It's like a part of them is locked away either to protect us or them.
"Brave Robert" is a very well written poem. Powerful words that go strait to the heart. Good rhyming couplets and alliteration throughout.
Well done.
Blessings
Janet
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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Thanks so much for your review and 6-star rating, Janet, and more particularly for your empathy with the subject of my poem and your good opinion of it.
Comment from onebrit
It is such a Victorian belief that real men don't cry. What a disservice to teach boys that emotion is to be hidden, locked away and never discussed. Thank goodness we think differently now, things are changing.....slowly. I love the way the poem show show what we learn in childhood shapes our adult values. Poor Robert. Well written
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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It is such a Victorian belief that real men don't cry. What a disservice to teach boys that emotion is to be hidden, locked away and never discussed. Thank goodness we think differently now, things are changing.....slowly. I love the way the poem show show what we learn in childhood shapes our adult values. Poor Robert. Well written
Comment Written 17-Aug-2014
reply by the author on 17-Aug-2014
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Many thanks for this review, onebrit. You are right, times are changing but here is still a certain social stigma attached to boys and men showing their emotions too readily. At least there is much better understanding of post-traumatic stress.