VE Day – Victory in Europe 8 May 1945
As we celebrate this day when the war ended in Europe, including the United Kingdom, I have written a few poems over the past few months, commemorating moments, ending with a VE Poem. I am a little late with posting them, but I hope thoughts of this major victory, that ensured a free world, and a free country for all of us. We must give thanks to those who fought for that freedom, for those who gave their lives, so that we may live. It may seem a very long time ago for those of you who are young, but without the two wars and the bravery of those who lived through them, we would not be the people we are today. Remember and respect those who were part of it, who are still living and who still very much remember it.
______________________
CHURCHILL’S WAVE
As we celebrate VE Day,
and the freedom that it gave,
let us not forget
the brave young soldier
in his grave.
***
Let us give our thanks to him
and those there with him too,
who gave their lives,
so bravely, for the sake
of me and you.
***
For the women and the children,
the tireless volunteers,
who bore the endless bombing raids –
for them let’s hear
‘THREE CHEERS!’
***
For all those left behind,
who daily, battled through,
the destruction, and the burning
of their homes,
and all they knew.
***
When Germany surrendered,
and Churchill waved the ‘peace,’
he waved out to the thousands
who had gathered,
in relief,
***
for the ending of a brutal war
that touched and shook the world.
For Victory in Europe,
and the peace
that wave unfurled.
_____________________
The next poem I wrote was for an anthology compiled by The Watercress Line Railway in Alresford, Hampshire, to celebrate 200 years of the Railways. It is about the evacuation of thousands of children from cities to the country to keep them safe when our country was being bombed, particularly during The Blitz:
SEPTEMBER 1939 – OPERATION PIED PIPER
EVACUATION DAY
Mum said we had to go. We asked her, why?
‘Because Hitler’s on the warpath’ was her reply.
We packed a small case with undies, socks and vest.
A change of clothes, a coat and the rest,
pyjamas, a toothbrush, a comb, and a hankie.
‘Here’s a gas mask, in case of Hitler’s hanky-panky’.
We cried – we didn’t want to go. But mum said,
‘you ‘ave to, ‘cos the authorities and me, said so.’
She packed us a sandwich of bread and jam:
‘it’s all I’ve got, I ‘aint got ‘am.’
But the bombs? What will you do at night?
Mum said, ‘don’t worry, I’ll be all right.
I’ll camp out down the Underground,
I’ll be okay, all safe and sound.
I’ve got the neighbours, we’ve got each other,
Aunty Vi, and then there’s me mother!
We won’t let Hitler get us down.
We’re tough, us lot, from London town.’
We went to the station to get on a train.
We didn’t know when we’d be home again.
Some got on trains to the West, and Wales.
Some went North to the Yorkshire dales.
Off to wherever there were places to be sent.
We were off from Victoria, to somewhere in Kent.
Mothers were soothing their girls and boys
crying, snotty and hugging their toys.
‘Dry your tears, it’ll be all right.
And don’t forget your prayers each night.’
My tummy was turning. I tried not to cry.
I pretended the train smoke had got in my eye.
Mum knew, but she said ‘you behave, all right?
Be good for these people, be polite.’
I nodded and sniffed. We were taken away.
We waved as we left on the trains that day.
Off to people we’d never met.
Some were much loved; some we’d rather forget.