Remember them who grew not old. A poem for VE Day 2020

A tannoy sounds in the supermarket
Another in the mall,
We all stand still and upright
As we remember all.

I cannot remember,
And that goes for my son,
My grandchild can’t remember,
For he is only one

Although we can’t remember, as statues we still stand
Heads bowed and we remember the loved ones who were slain.
Although we did not know them, they weren’t our kith or kin.
We just know they went before us to a death that was insane.

Many English, German too, American, Japanese,
Australians and Indians, Canadians and Burmese.
Sent out to be slaughtered while the generals stayed behind,
Eating well and drinking tea, to casualties they were blind.

But we still bow our heads in prayer and we still remember them.
We pray for the next generation that they will not condemn.
War is for the foolish, politicians, generals, lords,
It’s not them that do the dying, they leave that to the hoards.

But war has changed since world war 2, but not for any easier,
With guided drones and cyber wars, it’s only just got sleazier.
So even though we knew them not, we still can shed a tear.
Because of their great sacrifice, we should not live in fear.

©Joseph R Mason 2020

Nineteen million dead in world war 1
Eighty million in world war 2