A single satin poppy like a drop of blood on innocent sand.
As far as the eye can see, empty turquoise, peacefulness,
In the loveliest burial ground in the world
For the thousands of ghosts of lost boys
Who were sent here to die.
Stones pierce the green like rows of shark’s teeth
Stones that name Anzacs in their teens and twenties
Few old enough to be dads, all young enough to be sons.
Antipodean voices whisper as they search
Emotion choked as names are uncovered
And Rosemary battles for remembrance
Against the fennel scorched air.
Advertisements
Gilly that is an amazing poem! It reminded me of all i saw and felt on that day we visited Anzac! Thanks for capturing it with words!
Very moving and your photograph is a wonderful accompaniment. 🙂
http://postadaychallenge2011.com/2011/11/12/weekly-photo-challenge-wonder/
Beautifully written.
Thankyou, I’m not much of a poet but very slowly improving!
The more you write – the more it comes.
Keep going.
A very moving poem. Thank you for sharing, Gilly.
Thanks so much,it was impossible not to be moved there.
a moving poem, beautifully done with vivid imagery.
Well i was already teary when i got here, and now I’m just crying…that was beautiful
Sorry 😦 just wanted to to help people to remember.
Don’t be sorry Gilly – it did what it should…evoke feeling !!!
Beautifully done, Gilly
oh wow, Gilly. got here via your ‘regret’ post. i did some research after reading this poem.
how poignant.
Thanks for reading Chris! I didn’t actually want to go there but I’m so very glad I did and I’ll never, ever forget.
What a hauntingly beautiful poem Gilly. And an evocative photo
Thank you Gilly. This is thoughtful and a good counterblast to all the platitudes the 100 year anniversary is producing.
Hm. ‘the ghosts of lost boys”. So poignantly put, Gilly. Thank you.
Lovely work, Gilly. The Dardanelles was another tragedy, inside a world-wide tragedy at the time.
Best wishes, Pete.
Was thinking again about your poem, Gilly. Last night on YouTube we came upon an episode of Who do you think you are? from 2006. Robert Lindsay. His grandfather served in the navy during WW1 and he would have been one of the men who rowed the Anzacs in a small-boat convey to Anzac Cove. The final footage of the prog. is devoted to Lindsay’s trip out there. The whole episode is pretty darn good though.
Thanks Tish, I watched some of it and it took me right back there, I’ve never been as moved anywhere as I was there. Thanks also for remembering my poem, I’m really touched xx