Photo: https://media.iwm.org.uk/ciim5/36/103/large_000000.jpg
A World War 1 trench, not quite the Hyatt, Hilton or whatever, way beyond my experience.
I Hope Someone Remembers
Trenches could not be loved,
they were open tombs,
flooded, muddied, with
congealed wire garlands and
sodden timber treads,
and the stench of the living dead all round,
their sunken eyes testimony to
the glue of resignation and guilt.
Our feet blackened for love of country,
our minds already lost
in battles of their own,
Dante’s Inferno come to life,
with the sting of gas and metallic chatter,
always the thudding, crumping, shells
that shake our bones
and reshape our vision.
Our thoughts occasionally turn to
going home, could it be?
But that thought is scotched
as machine guns lace the air,
and the referee’s whistle calls play,
all the while the unrelenting cries
of death and pain rain down.
No more to hold a hand or taste her lips,
no more to cup her breast or hold her close,
what chance of laughter, to share life’s joys?
But then I dare not think of her,
such thoughts have no place here,
they could hold me in this tomb.
The whistle resounds,
my bayonet gleams,
a macabre accessory,
one I may yet wear.
Ladders ready,
up we go,
king and country,
I hope someone remembers us.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Paul,
pvcann.com
parallax 
I hope we never forget. Way beyond my experience..in “A Soldiers Sketches Under Fire” Harold Harvey writes of the song they would sing in the trenches, and yes it was about wishing to go home. You have written a tribute that helps us remember the humanity of these soldiers.
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Wow, thank you for that, so appreciate your thoughtful response.
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It was my pleasure.
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gave me chills. sad. perfect as a remembrance poem — doesn’t glorify the war, remembers how bad the conditions were, how difficult to survive and yet shows the courage and grit the indivdual men had.
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Wow, thank you, so enjoyed your reflection. My maternal grandfather went, and my wife’s maternal grandfather went, horrible.
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War is horrible. People forget how bad it is/was.
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I would agree, nothing to glorify.
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except for the courage of the people who found they had to fight, and the love for the people they had back home. That’s why I found your poem perfect. You got it right.
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Well, I really appreciate your response, thank you.
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Reblogged this on Paths I Walk.
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Very kind, thank you so much for that.
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Reblogged this on DENIS LEVIEUX PHOTOGRAPHE INFOGRAPHISTE.
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Very kind, thank you so much
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You have described it so well. The horrors of war are unthinkable. Makes one wonder how any leader can send men into destruction while they sit in their home and sleep in their own bed. When will we ever learn!
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Yes, when. It destroyed many of my relatives lives, and so many others and continues. Horrible.
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I watched the PBS series by Ken Burns on the Civil War. It was unbelievable what those men went through when wounded or injured.
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Yes, i saw that series, astounding.
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I shared it on my FB page. Thanks for writing it.
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The hope is not in vain!
More than ever, we must remember.
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Yes indeed.
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great rendition of the daily horror and nightmares … see my W O E … my grandfather, father, uncles etc all went … they were all anti war and died of war related injuries but we the family had to live with the damage and nightmares … it must stop!
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Yes, so many of our families.
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often wonder if it enabled us to have more compassion growing up with such tormented souls …
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I have always believed it does.
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there has to be benefits to every down side 🙂
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Yes 🙂
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Reblogged this on Cage Dunn: Writer, Author, Teller-of-tall-tales and commented:
Lest We Forget – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, recall those we lost … Thanks, Paul.
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Well thank you Cage, very kind of you to do that.
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Soldier’s “One last favor” is “I want to go Home”.
It makes no difference to Soldiers whether who is hero or Not.
How awful under situation soldiers are,
The general public does not know.
An ordinary ppl watches TV and claims that own side is justice.
Politicians praise a soldier who died in the war as a “hero” and send civilians to the battle field again and again.
Especially Politicians send persons “At the forefront” that there is no need for Politicians,for example be experienced racism etc…
Especially Western (from in WW1) can not stop “robbing” quit.
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Excellent poem. Very moving and appropriate for today.
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Many thanks
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Heartfelt and beautiful!❤️
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Many thanks
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Wonderful words. A personal story. We do remember, and thank each one. This is all the more personal for me, as my grandfather died from his wounds after the battle of Loos. RIP Emil Heitmann
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Yes, such suffering for a whole generation, those who came home were already dead – the living dead. Yes RIP. Thank you.
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Reblogged this on M.A. Lossl .
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Many thanks, very kind.
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Lots of comments about your beautiful poem. It’s been reshared from my FB and Twitter account
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Oh wow, that is very kind, much appreciated indeed.
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Beautiful – thanks for sharing it with us ❤ Let us always remember!
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Thank you so much.
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It’s such a beautiful poem!
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Thank you so much Luisa.
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King and country indeed. Nice words to remember them by.
Thank you and have a nice week-end.
Brian
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Many thanks Brian, you too.
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This is so vivid and descriptive. My father once spoke about being stuck in the trenches eating canned sardines…Didn’t really want to focus on it too much. I think this poem really sheds some light as to what soldiers go through. Thank you for sharing. ❤
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Thank you for sharing your memories and thoughts, I really appreciate that, and thank you for your kind response too.
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This poem took me right back to my late uncle who was in the Battle of the Bulge and was so affected by the experience that he could hardly speak of it the rest of his life.
You have a real gift with words.
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Janet, thank you for sharing such a precious slice of life, and thank you for such encouraging words too.
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