November 11th

Remembrance Day ... for those who died for our freedoms.

the garden gate swings on its hinge

iron clanking against iron 

with rhythmic surety

vibrating the fillings in my teeth

with uncontested tyranny

devilish are November winds

penetrating layers of cotton, 

wool and poly-fill

icy fingers reaching where they will …

pulling the quilted collar of my coat 

closer to my neck i stared 

at the wreckage of summer

stained and darkened where it bled 

decaying 

shriveled

blackened

… dead

nearby,

trees, stark and naked, 

languish in the throes of slumberous sleep

despite the lack of snow

winter has arrived 

… with sharpened teeth

November …

such a somber month,

devoid of mirth,

or light-hearted joy

memories of our fallen

brave men, brave women 

… our valiant boys

sacrificed in vicious wars

 

poppies,

white crosses;

and the ever present pain 

forever harrowed in survivors eyes

to relive the horrors time and time again

explosions ...

the blood ...

and the frantic battle cries ...

the garden gate swings on its hinge

iron clanking against iron with rhythmic surety

vibrating the fillings in my teeth

impinging unwanted despondency

i see my ride coming down the street

black-tarred

rain-slicked

barren, dreary

the eleventh hour,

the eleventh day,

a prevalent chill felt clearly

ghosts of November - inumbrate, 

a persistent welling omen

today i’ll place a special wreath 

for brother, sister, friend 

and foeman

Reviews

[Tom]

You paint a somber setting with descriptive words in unison with a bleak November day, how appropriate given the quite awful scenes and scenarios our fallen comrades must have witnessed and experiencesd!

Yes indeed, ' lest we forget ' A fitting tribute, kudos dear writer !

[felioness]

Thanks so much for the read and kind words.