my old sergeant
This is for Poetry Picnic Week 25 at the Gooseberry Garden. The theme is on "Military, Soldiers, Veterans".
I have a soft spot for war poetry, perhaps because I have served in the military before, and partly I have strong views about war when I was younger. Age has mellowed me considerably, and age is about the following poem I have written about a chance encounter between two old soldiers. Hope you will like this poem. :)
my old sergeant
my old sergeant
calls to me
from a bus stop.
he still remembers me
maybe i am the nerdy one
or
i don't give him trouble.
we talk
and laugh.
we are old men now
how time has aged a soldier,
he walks with a cane today.
was it not long ago
i saw him dismount
from an armoured carrier
carbine slung across
his chest
walking through a haze
of red dust
churned up
by battle vehicles?
we talk
about the old days.
we laugh
cough a bit
and then
go about our
separate ways.
19/10/07
********
Some of the great war poetry I have liked, and you probably will...
i) Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa
ii) In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
iii) The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner by Randall Jarrell
and a whole lot more, written by those who have served, and lived to write about it. And yes, the lyrics of Pink Floyd's album The Final Cut
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2012
I have a soft spot for war poetry, perhaps because I have served in the military before, and partly I have strong views about war when I was younger. Age has mellowed me considerably, and age is about the following poem I have written about a chance encounter between two old soldiers. Hope you will like this poem. :)
photo by click
image from morguefile.commy old sergeant
my old sergeant
calls to me
from a bus stop.
he still remembers me
maybe i am the nerdy one
or
i don't give him trouble.
we talk
and laugh.
we are old men now
how time has aged a soldier,
he walks with a cane today.
was it not long ago
i saw him dismount
from an armoured carrier
carbine slung across
his chest
walking through a haze
of red dust
churned up
by battle vehicles?
we talk
about the old days.
we laugh
cough a bit
and then
go about our
separate ways.
19/10/07
********
Some of the great war poetry I have liked, and you probably will...
i) Facing It by Yusef Komunyakaa
ii) In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
iii) The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner by Randall Jarrell
and a whole lot more, written by those who have served, and lived to write about it. And yes, the lyrics of Pink Floyd's album The Final Cut
© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2012
Labels: camaraderie, Friendship, military, Poetry, Poetry Picnic
posted by dsnake1 at 11:07 PM
7 Comments:
very different...well written...cheers!
lovely story telling.
glad that you finally calm down and write about some of the experiences you have had,
Ashok,
thank you!
Paris,
thanks for visiting! it was a pleasant surprise meeting an old army friend. :)
It's nice to share memories while you still have a chance to. I still have a friend or two from the Navy and it's nice to get a call.
booguloo, it's great that you're still in contact with your buddies. :)
Nice post! great words ! :D
Please visit my blog
Just FYI, there’s an event for bloggers and the prizes are iPad2 and Cash. Find the info here. :)
thanks, dimas, for the visit and the kind words. :)
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