Tribute to our Brave Boys & Girls who are on Active Service around the World...

Shine wrote:And what a poignant poem from the First World War it is, bravolima.

A powerful poem is Wilfred Owen's, 'Dulce et Decroum'. I know it's well known, but like Beethoven's Ninth, its genius and piercing realism makes it so.

Yes Shine it is a very realistic poem...please feel free to post any poems as they say more the merrier....

Thanks, bravolima, there are few poems, particularly a lesser known one I know of. It is of a soldier in Iraq, during the first assaut there to liberate Kuwait. His comrades have been captured and killed before his eyes, but he kills and escapes. He's chased, preyed upon, and seeks refuge in a kennel with a dog unknown to him. The man talks to the dog. Music plays.

The Iraqis know he's somewhere near, but where? Will they go near the kennel, when they reach it in a few seconds, or will the dog bark a defiance, 'No one's here!?'

Remembrance Day....

More British soldiers dead
In another British war.
Yesterday some of their parents
In anguish and anger went to Downing Street
To lay a wreath
To lay the blame
At the door
Of the man most responsible
For our latest war.
But their sons are gone.
And Afghan cities are in ruins.
In many thousands Afghan too, has lost its sons.
Their sons are gone, their children maimed.
Chaos and trauma are everywhere.
For the shattering of this nation
We share the blame.
No fine words can give these crimes
The slightest gloss.
Parents grieve. Such a quantity of grief.
Such needless destruction. Such needless pain.
Parents grieve. Their sons are gone.
All loss is one.
Parents grieve.
Let us reflect on
Their needless loss.
Let us reflect on their needless loss.

Dedicated to the brave soldier who was killed in Afghanistan this morning...RIP.....

My sincere condolences to his family at this sad time.....

"A Letter From A Soldier"

I fight for you everyday
For your safety and freedom far, far away
Everyday I fear that it may be my last
Looking at what was important to me in the past

I choose this life, to fight
For your freedom, your eternal right
It gets lonely out in this far distant land
I have nothing but my gun and boots full of sand

I pray to Jesus each and every night
That he may shield me from this next fight
I live each day with fear of death
I never know when it will be my last breath

"Lets Move Out" says my sergeant
Always worried about what will happen
I get my gear and my gun
I ask myself "How much more, before this is done?"

Bullets and RPG's zooming past my head
I cant help but fear soon I will be dead
Each and every second of life i cherish
Because I never know when I will perish

A sound of gun shots all around
Bodies of young soldiers is all to be found
Bombs shattering the buildings apart
Mirror the pieces that are also my heart

Every dying soldier causes me to tremble
All the soldiers will start to assemble
The greatest gift I can give
Is to lay down my life so someone else may live

All those young men who did not come home
Also left their family and children all alone
I'm here safe and sound
Now with my family on my own ground

I pray for my fellow soldiers everyday
I ask the lord to reward them for what they had to pay
Show mercy to all those who fell
"lord, they have served their time in hell"

I write this letter to you and to all
To tell you about myself and those who answered the call
Together we will get it done, because Britain we are
An army of one


Dedicated to the two brave soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan yesterday and this morning...RIP.....

My sincere condolences to their families at this sad time.....

Why is it that the Poppies Grow……

Why is it that the poppies grow?
A tiny voice did cry"
Child each poppy marks the place
Where soldiers once did lie

Each blood red flower stands
To remember those who died
As does that upon your chest
her stooped grandma replied

The lady slowly turned to leave
But the child refused to go
Bending down towards the cross
Half buried in the snow.

Slowly the small hands moved
To brush away the snow;
Until at last she read her name
Engraved so long ago.

The child in that moment
Grew so many years
As she turned to face her grandma
Face glistening with tears

And so two people stood in silence
Remembering the dead
Gazing at the stark white crosses
Stood amongst the sea of red.

A single bead of water glistens
Upon the frozen ground,
As tears mix with long spilt blood
That soaked the broken mound

IN FLANDERS FIELDS.

In Flanders field the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

WE SHALL KEEP THE FAITH.

Oh! You who sleep in Flanders’ fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew,
We caught the torch you threw,
And holding high we kept
The faith with those who died.
We cherish too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valour led.
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders’ fields.
And now the torch and poppy red
Wear in honour of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught
We’ve learned the lesson that ye taught
In Flanders’ fields.

Another reply to "IN FLANDERS FIELDS".

Oh! sleep in peace where poppies grow;
The torch your falling hands let go
Was caught by us, again held high,
A beacon light in Flanders sky
That dims the stars to those below.
You are our dead, you held the foe,
And ere the poppies cease to blow,
We'll prove our faith in you who lie
In Flanders Fields.
Oh! rest in peace, we quickly go
To you who bravely died, and know
In other fields was heard the cry,
For freedom's cause, of you who lie,
So still asleep where poppies grow,
In Flanders Fields.
As in rumbling sound, to and fro,
The lightning flashes, sky aglow,
The mighty hosts appear, and high
Above the din of battle cry,
Scarces heard amidst the guns below,
Are fearless hearts who fight the foe,
And guard the place where poppies grow.
Oh! sleep in peace, all you who lie
In Flanders Fields.
And still the poppies gently blow,
Between the crosses, row by row.
The larks, still bravely soaring high,
Are singing now their lullaby
To you who sleep where poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

Yet another reply to "IN FLANDERS FIELDS".

In Flanders Fields the cannons boom,
And fitful flashes light the gloom;
While up above, like eagles, fly
The fierce destroyers of the sky;
With stains the earth wherein you lie
Is redder than the poppy bloom,
In Flanders Fields.
Sleep on, ye brave! The shrieking shell,
The quaking trench, the startling yell,
The fury of the battle hell
Shall wake you not, for all is well;
Sleep peacefully, for all is well.
Your flaming torch aloft we bear,
With burning heart and oath we swear
To keep the faith, to fight it through,
To crush the foe, or sleep with you,
In Flanders Fields

AMERICA'S ANSWER.

Rest ye in peace, ye Flanders’ dead.
The fight that ye so bravely led
We’ve taken up. And we will keep
True faith with you who lie asleep
In Flanders’ fields.
Fear not that ye have died for naught.
The torch ye threw to us we caught.
Ten million hands will hold it high,
And Freedom’s light shall never die!
We’ve learned the lesson that ye taught
In Flanders’ fields.

PLEASE WEAR A POPPY.

"Please wear a poppy," the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;
But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.
His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," said he, "may I have one?"
When she's pinned in on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"
The lady smiled in her wistful way
And answered, "This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free -
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.
"I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
and became a man - as you will, too.
"He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mom, so please don't cry.
"But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.
"Till at last, at last, the war was won -
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son - did he come back all right?"
A tear rolled down each faded check;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Thought our freedom was bought - and thousands paid!
And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy! Remember - and give!

The above poems are dedicated to all those who have served for King, Queen and Country...God bless you all...

This ones for you Bravo....I'm doing my bit!!...........

We are having our annual Charity sale today....of which the proceeds are going to 'Help for Heroes'.....support for our wounded!!.......

w w w.helpforheroes.org.uk

I'll buys lots!!.........

jezebel thats so lovely of you to buy lots of things for a very good cause...that is exactly what the boys and girls need lots of lovely people like you..thank you

Hi Bravo........... ...er....scuse my AV........NR did it!!........

Very soon we will be told how much we've raised!!........ ..It was £1200.00 a while ago!!...I'll let you know!!..........

Hi jezebel, yes i thought your AV was a bit dowdy not like your last one eh? i hope your location is not true... yes that would be nice to know how much you have raised....

I am going now but i will be back later to post some poems and maybe a few jokes on the other thread so you takecare and i will speak soon...

Ok Bravo..........

No..ignore it all.........NR's winding me up...badly!!............ ...He's changed everything!!..........

jezebel nice to see the real you....

My Unknown Friend.....

I thought of you today my friend,
Though I never knew your name;
In a mind drift of 35 years,
I recall you just the same.

Did you know I was there with you,
watching from a chair?
Was it the physical or the mental pain,
that created your blank stare.

They would roll you on that mat each day,
Teaching you to crawl;
Both legs and one arm missing,
But I knew that was not all.

You'd left your soul in a far off war,
that no one comprehended;
It was more than your young body, friend,
that needed to be mended.

You cried in anguish at the thought 
of returning to your home;
They gave well-meaning encouragement,
but I knew you felt alone.

I never approached you to say my name,
I knew I didn't dare;
You were angry then at the whole world,
and I figured you wouldn't care.

But I want you to know after all these years,
you had a silent friend;
I prayed for you but I had to leave
never knowing if you'd mend.

Did you return home?
Did you have a life,
better than you thought you could?
Did the wheelchair fit?
Did you find a wife, 
and have a couple kids?

Did your soul return
when the body healed,
or has it never ended?
Did you get to the Wall?
Did it help at all?
Has your body and soul mended?

Back then I thought I understood
what you were going through;
But now when my legs give out on me,
I guess I really never knew.

I want to thank you for the role
you've played in the life I've had.
When I have to struggle, I remember your strength,
then things don't seem so bad.

Well, I hope you get this message, friend.
You brought me many tears.
Just know that someone's prayed for you,
through all these passing years.

Sleep Well Norman……………

You sat there in the corner,
your expression full of doom;
You'd never been to the rec hall before,
just stayed inside your room.

The TV's on, the cards are out, 
and most are joining in;
to break the long monotony,
with pennies we could win.

A few called out "Hey man, come play",
your response, a thousand yard stare;
You turned your back and stared in space,
by a wheelie spin of your chair.

No one intrudes, an unspoken rule,
Don't tread upon my space;
Although the rest know you as brother,
I needed to name your face.

The next day I would break the rule,
I would wait and make you talk;
But you didn't show up and all evening long,
I kept looking at the clock.

While wheeling back to my room that night, 
I stopped to ask a corpman;
He said you had hung yourself last night,
and your first name was Norman.

I wish you'd opened up last night,
so all of us could weep;
But you found an out and took your life,
you earned yourself that sleep.

                                                          Sleep in peace, Norman.

Tribute to my Dad
(written by bravolima) 3rd February 2011

Dad, where were you during the war?
You know you never said
You never talked about that time
You just kept it in your head

We know you served in the RAF
A rear Gunner in World War II
You looked so smart in the photos
Dressed in the Royal blue

In the Bomber squadron you served
Somewhere in the Med
Then to Britain at the end of the war
But where, you never said

Mum said you flew many sorties
To Germany and home
But where you went and what transpired
Guess, we will never really know

It's ok Dad, the memories of war
Don't need to be said out loud
You know, that your service to Britain
Has made us so very proud!


This poem is dedicated to my Dad who served in the RAF during WWII ……



© The right of bravolima to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.….

All rights reserved. No part of these poems may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author.

It's not goodbye my precious ones,
but dad must go to war.
My country calls and I must serve,
it's why I joined the Corps.

Keep the home fires burning;
and for your mum, be strong.
I will write you when I get a chance
and be home before long.

We have raised you right, so as I fight,
you keep your morals high.
Do good in school, obey the rules,
and honour our flags that fly.

Although being a Royal Marine and going to war,
May keep us far apart,
Know that at night when I go to sleep
you will be in my thoughts and heart.

If fate dictates I give my life on some far away shore,
Remember me with pride.
Know that I love you very much,
and I will always be by your side.

SISTERS IN ARMS......

You are the coast guard, the army, navy, air force and marines,
You believe in freedom and justice, and fight for these things.

You are the daughters, the sisters, and mothers,
and, you willingly sacrifice for all others.

A higher calling led you here,
you answered with honour, pride and cheer.

You are the medics, the pilots, the admin troops too,
When a task needs to be done well, they come to you.

You load bombs and carry weapons, and when day is done,
You go home and care for your daughters and sons.

You are a member of an honourable team,
You're sisters in arms, held in high esteem.

You believe women deserve both family and career,
you've proven it can be done, year after year.

You're role models to girls and women alike,
You took charge of your destiny, you control your life.

You served with distinction, for the red, white and blue,
and, it's been my privilege serving with you.

We are sisters in arms, I wish you all well,
and like our sisters before, you will prevail.

May god speed you, and keep you from harm,
My hat's off and I salute you, my sisters in arms.

Missing You.....

I want to tell you how I miss you so
Waiting for time to pass and it’s been oh so slow
Sleepless nights and stressful days
My mind has been in a haze
Every day a struggle willing you through
Someday a payoff and a brilliant brand new you

Believing in you has been easy
I know you have all the tools
Putting yourself to the test
And doing what you need to do

But not being able to see you
Has been the hardest part of all
You were always something special
With a lot of heart and soul

Come home to me my new Royal Marine
I love you most of all…..

From a loving Mum to a loving Son……

The Soldiers Life.....

The soldiers life is not for all
A soldier must be willing to give his all
He is overworked and underpaid
A truer patriot was never made
Ready to go at any time
Wherever there is trouble or the first sign
His courage and honour are unsurpassed
Ready and willing to complete the task
Travelling to lands both near and far
He stands his post and looks at the stars
Wondering what he might have done
If he had not chosen to carry a gun
Remember the next time that you are driving by
And see the flag flying proud and high
That somewhere out there a soldier stands
Weary and cold in a foreign land
Protecting our country from our foes
Standing tall and proud come rain or snow.