Thoughts of a fallen soldier..

A tribute to the fallen brave 🌺

Bugler's trumpet splits the early dawn
troops rally, mount charges,
no dilly-dally, timidity, nor benevolence
within satan's jaws, we must ride

Onwards, onwards, galloping hooves plunder
betwixt bullets and cannonball,
comrades in arms, swords drawn, cold steel
frontline decimated, bloody is war

Second row, third, relentless onslaught
reverberates, bugler's shrill horn,
override sickening thud, steed hitting ground
or ghastly shriek, another brother slain

Foe's penetrating lead, lodged deep in chest
blown from saddle, gargling blood,
I lay in muddy ichor, instant pain, battle shock
feel life's vitality, slowly ebbing away

White light glistens above, becalms my fear
sound of soothing, trickling water,
immersing turgid noise of enemy gunfire
visions of verdant homeland, emerge

The jay and lark, sing a mellifluous tune
as I fish in familiar stream, a youth,
carefree days, trout leap, evading false fly
tell them at home, big fish got away

Blackthorn hedge, where dainty fairies play
surround, freshly mowed fields,
light summer shower, aroma, sweet petrichor
vixen with cubs, leveret takes heel

Welcome canopy of oak, initials carved in bark
teenage sweethearts, Sally my love,
and there's Ma & Pa, welcome wave as they call,
' time to come home son, supper on stove '



( petrichor
a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather.)




https://youtu.be/kk8foQOQVk0

Author's Note

Big thanks to my cafe friends here for the inspiration to write again 😻

Reviews

[DIVYA]

The jay and lark, sing a mellifluous tune
as I fish in familiar stream, a youth,
carefree days, trout leap, evading false fly
tell them at home, big fish got away

Revisiting this poem today, so relevant to today's war torn times...Yes the big wish always got away. Your words are so haunting my friend, the closing eyes of the felled soldier resist his entire, beautiful life, the verse, his wonderful parents, who'll in a way also die with him. So useless, so needless the loss.
A richly worded poem on the sadness wars bring. The human toll...the dead are not statistics, they're people, they're you and me. An immortal poem of yours.

[Tom]

So kind of you my friend to return once more and leave another endearing comment!

Yes indeed, sadly this anti-war poem as relevent today as it was yesterday, lasy year and countless before, just when it's all ever gonna stop?

[Lydia Shutter]

Young men used to living in the shelter of their parents' homes sent into war...onto the battlefield. Two ends of the spectrum. Who can be prepared for such violence? The contrast in your poem is super....the imagery makes it tangible. Wonderful work, Tom. Lydi**

[Tom]

Thank you Lydia for you insightful words

[barleygirl]

You make war sound so much nicer than it really is, I'm not sure if I can buy into this somewhat upbeat depiction! I love your writing & your way of expressing yourself is top-notch, no doubt about that! I love how your narrator turns to thoughts of home toward the end. But this seems to be written about an historical time when war had clearly delineated lines of conflict & territories we could plot on a strategy map . . . but alas, now the fighting's everywhere, all the time, between who-knows-who? I never thought it would be nicer to look back at when war was comprehensible! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Tom]

Thank you barley, point is, war is never comprehensible nor acceptable!!

[Troy Henson]

Very moving piece loaded with wonderful imagery painting a journey of a life gone by. Thank you 😊

[Tom]

Thanks indeed

[Sami Khalil]

An amazing comeback in writing and style. Very powerful, descriptive and touching. The contrast between war and childhood memories, the struggle of life and the innocent times of younger days. All wrapped up in precise language and touching imagery.

[Tom]

Many thanks my friend, good to hear from you again!

[Sami Khalil]

All the time. You are welcome sir Tom.

[Miss Sharon]

I love this entire write Tom! I am especially fond of the closure in the final stanza...(Welcome canopy of oak, initials carved in bark teenage sweethearts, Sally my love, and there's Ma & Pa, welcome wave as they call, ' time to come home son, supper on stove ' ) You paint a beautiful word picture! ~Sharon

[Tom]

Thanks my friend 😊

[NotUsinganymore]

Extremely descriptive poem about war. Ive seen horrors in a dictatorship country so this sort of reminds me of it.

[Tom]

Merci merci, great you can relate to my poem 😊

[Chris Shaw]

Such vivid imagery here Tom. You evoked memories of The Charge of the Light Brigade and Zulu. The courage and bravery of those men plunged into hell fire not knowing whether they would escape. There is a wonderful contrast here between your first and last stanzas. Horror and butchery versus childhood innocence, peace and home. You couldn't get a greater contrast. Your lines broke down my defences and I found myself with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye for the futility of warfare, and the loss, the dreadful, dreadful loss.

Chris

[Tom]

Thanks for your positive & thoughtful review 🤗

[Einstein Noodle]

incredible tribute Tom .. i could hear the hooves pounding and the shaking of the earth .. such pride and courage they had .. I just finished reading a book that in part included the last Calvary charge of the 26th Regiment during WW2 on Bataan when most of our forces had retreated some were left marooned .. as the Imperial Japanese Army swarmed over the islands the 26th made the decision to charge them instead of surrender .. it was the last Calvary charge in the history of the US Calvary ;) love you use to the language sir .. and thanks especially for "petrichor" ..i had no idea we had a word to describe that experience ... ahhhhhhhhhh spring .. thanks for sharing your poetry sir ... glad you are at it again :)
E.

[Tom]

Thanks E. for your relatable review 🤗

[Neville]

And what a bloomin comeback Tom... this little masterpiece must surely be my most favouritist of Tom creations to date ... Tis great to have ya back my friend and that's an understatement :)

[Tom]

Thank ya Neville for your flattering and very humbling review my friend 🤗

[Neville]

More than most welcome mate... considerably more than...

[DIVYA]

A poem that takes me there, in the midst of it all and I see him dying and feel his pain, as the poet embodies the valiant soldier. You take us through his life and love, the beauty of it as he experienced it.

This poem is filled with the compassion and sorrow felt for all those who gave their lives for causes, needless or great. It profoundly underlines the tragedy of war and its human cost. Especially, in the last verse, where the loving parents await their dear son for supper and who’ll never return.

Welcome back, friend. It’s awesome to read you again Tom. You haven’t lost your touch inspite of such a long break. Thank you for sharing this beautiful, finely worded, heartfelt poem.

[Tom]

Thank you Divya for discerning and understanding review of my poem! 🤗

[DIVYA]

You are most welcome Tom. I hope we shall get to see plenty more such graceful poetry from you, this year.