PEACE POETRY COMPETITION - JUNE 2022

Stepping from the train, he stood just looking up and down

It felt so good to be back here in this small market town

Shouldering his kit bag, he set off down the lane

In France he’d often wondered if he’d see all this again

Standing in a gateway, he looked across the view

Fields and hills and hedges, everything he knew

The stillness of the summer’s day eased his troubled mind

From the memories of warfare he would rather leave behind

Walking on he saw the farm, the barn, the house, the yard

For a moment tears sprang to his eyes and took him off his guard

For there she stood, his Mary, feeding chickens, scattering corn

But when she turned her shape spoke of the child as yet unborn

In that moment all his hopes and dreams just flew away

He never thought of such a thing, he never thought she’d stray

Her whitened face was filled with shock – “Tom” was all she said

Then “the telegram, it told me you were missing presumed dead”

He asked her, “Who’s the father? I can’t believe it’s true

I always thought you loved me, just as much as I loved you

“It’s yours you foolish man” she said, “when you came home on leave.”

When he remembered straight away, new dreams began to weave.

Then tears and hugs and kisses were the order of the day

And Mary? She forgave Tom for thinking she would stray

They talked about the future, the crops that they would grow

Of taking things to market in sun and rain and snow.

For Tom he was a lucky one – came back to his new wife

Came back to have a family, came back to have a life

So many weren’t so lucky, their stories still untold

But they will be remembered, and they shall not grow old. 

Outside

the sky

is littered with stars.

Everyone in the world

is asleep.

I walk the floor

singing, soothing, rocking

jigging, chanting, dancing.

And still you cry

as if you have 

all the world’s troubles

on your tiny shoulders.

I feed you again

just to get some rest.

Your tiny fingers

curl and uncurl at my breast.

Your vest is wet

from your tears

and mine.

A line of milk

dribbles down your chin.

I kiss, I jig, I soothe, I sing.

And still there are your cries

ripping me apart.

I close my eyes

praying you will close yours.

How can someone so small

cause so much grief and joy?

I walk my baby boy

up and down

and round and round.

I sing the songs all parents sing.

You feel so heavy in the sling.

In desperation

I lie you down in your crib.

You sigh as if to say

that’s where I want to be!

Your eyes close fast

I cry with relief.

Peace at last.

There is no peace in silence. Not in my head 

The outside quietness is a complete contrasting reflection to the noise within
 

There are memories, thoughts, questions, song lyrics
Regrets from the past, plans for the future
 

Ideas, venues
Party menus
 

I try to drown them in the sea of sleep, yet they float up to the surface causing further ripples to spread into my waking hours
 

Lists for shopping
Taunting, mocking

No one knows the bustle of activity beneath the calm exterior
They may see a tiny clue in the distracted eye or the forgotten sentence ended…………..

Prematurely

What will it take to make noise cease
Calm my mind and bring me peace?
 

One word from you can trigger a song to play back internally from beginning to end......except it doesn't end
until replaced by a new repetitive thought or tune
 

Meditation is less successful than mediation
Distraction works better than inaction

When my life ceases

and they say ‘Rest in peace’

Will I?

‘You have been forgotten. 

They’re taking all your space.

Paint yourself in national colours, and we shall win the race!

I know that I am truly great, and so are you.

Time to act, to stand up now, 

To your great tribe be true’.

The tears they ran down from her face.

En route t’wards her heart.

Just as her one and only son, told Mother he’d depart.

‘I am not truly great, I know, but I love you’.

She could not speak, just cried more tears, 

Was all that she could do.

Ivan, he packed up all his clothes

He dressed in uniform.

To fight for God’s own country, to stop the spread of harm.

‘I’ll come back, Mother, that you know, ‘cos I shall be all right,’

Was what he promised to his Mum,

But could her boy survive?

Of course the ego-maniac, 

He kept himself so safe,

Kept his distance, so no real germs, could land upon his face.

‘I cannot suffer any harm,’ 

The liar he repeated.

‘I must stand strong, and wave the flag, so we are not defeated’.

But just as mothers’ heart were torn,

They could not sleep at night.

Ivan, he had epiphany, he knew he had to fight.

But not against the enemy, they were, in truth, his friends.

The gun it had to point back home,

And so to make amends.

That night he plotted with his friends, to make their country free,

To end the foul dictatorship, to make his people see.

The truth behind that lying man, to liberate the poor,

And so the plot, it ended all the evil that was there,

So now we have a new-born cub, a rugged Russian bear.

And all is free and beautiful, ‘cos Ivan was not scared. 

Our Pennine backbone of determined grit and steel

Ancient chalk ridgeway arteries our nation’s keel

On our island home - we stand alone - full of guilt

Will a new Jerusalem ever be built?

Golden crop circles fill the corn

In their double helix - a life reborn?

HS2 archaeologists sift through treasures buried in layered bands

To find Danes, Anglo-Saxons, Jutes - all living hand in hand

New theories say they didn’t fight through the ages

But lived in harmony - as close neighbours

We still think the chalk cliffs are there to repel boarders

Didn’t really stop the Normans or Luftwaffe marauders

An island mentality - we think we are so special

Yet football hooligans fight everyone to prove their metal

Are we just full of arrogance and ignorance?

To send those who try to join us to an African inconvenience

The road to peace can never be Roman

The twists and turns of life are what make us human

Both Antonine and Hadrian got it wrong

When they tried to stop the Pictish throng

Please politicians no more bricks in the wall

We should really welcome one and all

Where war pestilence and hate now strive

We should spread our arms – to help fellow world citizens arrive alive

Stuff our stiff upper-lip - endow peace - to those that reach our sands 

Help them make a better life - in the pastures of our green and pleasant land.

Teach your children well my friends, for soon they will be making an impact on the world.
 

If they fight over toys, distract them. Teach them to share fairly, and how to make the most of the toy that they do have, even if it isn't their ideal choice.
 

Let them learn that if they choose to slap, they will feel unhappy at their brother's distress. This should be taught to toddlers, for as they grow, their punches will gain strength and could one day maim or even kill.
 

Show them not to kill; not even a fly.  Developing respect for all things living is to learn respect for themselves.
 

Show your children how words can hurt. Whatever the old 'sticks and stones' saying states; it lies.
 

Teach them that lies cause harm and do no good unless told to protect the innocent.
 

Show them how to protect those they love and those hard done by, for not everyone teaches their children the loving and respectful way forward, meaning there will always be the possibility of being on the receiving end of aggression or unkind words.
 

As your children grow into teens, teach them how to repel others' negativity and criticism. More importantly teach them to deflect their own inner critic. Self-doubt is natural, we live in a competitive world. Our children need to learn that we all have strengths and talents. We can focus on those rather than berate ourselves for what we find difficult. 

It is vital that we celebrate our own gifts, without belittling anyone with different skills to our own. Remind them that the only reason someone tries to bring them down, is to make themselves feel more worthy.
 

Show by example that emotions are natural. Let your children express themselves in good healthy ways. Never belittle a child for showing anger or tears. Instead sit with them until the anger subsides. Let them talk it through, showing love throughout these conversations. Even in a storm there is peace to be found.
 

Let your children know that fighting is never the answer. We need to give peace a fighting chance.

Teach your children well my friends.

I was in my Local enjoying a beer

Something I sometimes do

When an odd looking chap with a creepy leer

Said, mind if I sit next to you?

He bought me a drink and we started to chat

You know, like all of us do

About the weather and this and that

And colds and Covid and flu.

Where are you from, I asked him

Somewhere far away, he replied

You wouldn’t know it, he said with a smile

I’m from the other side.

The other side of where I asked

He replied with another leer

I’ll tell you all about it

If you buy me another beer.

I come from a place where there is no war

No rows, no conflict at all

If anyone tries to start a fight

We throw them over the wall.

Or they might get shot, he offered

If they don’t do as they’re told

My world is full of young people you know

Few of us get to be old.

With this he prodded me with a gun

And his hand was deathly cold …

About time, I heard my wife say

For that beastly noise to cease

If you carrying on snoring in this way

I won’t get any peace!

I’m not going to say this again, she said

So don’t make your usual fuss

If you carry on making this hellish noise

Then it’s separate beds for us!

I would never argue with you, my dear

I smiled with relief and said

Your wishes to me are perfectly clear

And I happily went back to bed.