Page 36 • The HERALD • 30th October 2025 On A Cold November Day by David K Wilson© Ten thousand poppies draping the wall A shimmering bright red waterfall A waterfall of memories Each Remembrance Day We should never forget those brave young men Who left our shores those days Defending King and country Such debts can’t be repaid They gave their lives they gave their all On Remembrance Day their names are called And all those left remember them For forever and a day They were lost on land and in the sea Or in the air no longer free What did we learn we ask today Young men dying every day It’s hard to imagine the grief and strain Living with unbearable pain Husbands lovers sons all gone No goodbye’s or farewell songs Memories return on Remembrance Day Those still here peer through the haze They’ll not forget mates lost in war Those who never walked through their door Lessons hard were learned those days Yet reality slips and begins to fade Violence persisting every day Past horror hasn’t barred the way Veterans gather around the spire One bell tolls to the One much higher They pray old friends will rest in peace And for the lost presumed deceased And beneath the poppies on the wall That shimmering bright red waterfall There’s a waterfall of memories On a cold November day. REMEMBRANCE by Jim Dolbear© e last post plays as we stand, Old soldiers now need a hand. To remember comrades that fell, Now are few to tell the tale. On poppy elds and desert sand, ey bravely fought hand in hand, To hope that all wars would cease, And that there would be ever peace. As we sadly bow our heads, And at night go to our beds. We will say a silent prayer, For the souls no longer there. My Best Mate by Dorothy Lockyer© I was just a lad when war broke out I hadn’t a clue what it was about It was exciting and scary, at the same time But Mum and Dad said it would be fine! As time went by life seemed to change A sombreness pervaded, it felt rather strange. Then Dad got a letter, said it’s time to go Left Mum in tears, which she tried not to show. In the house next door lived my best mate Joe We were always together, we’d come and go Our Dads were now soldiers, gone away And we missed them terribly every day. We had to build shelters deep in the ground Us lads were no help as we clowned around! But later we began to understand As the blitz began and the bombs came to land. It seemed every night when we’d gone to bed The Luftwaffe came, filling us with dread As the siren wailed, we’d dash helter-skelter Grabbing something warm to take to the shelter. It was cold, damp and dark, a candle for light We’d shiver and shake, mostly with fright This night in the shelter, I felt all alone As Joe and his family stayed in their home. Cacophony of noise as bombs hit the ground A shuddering of earth was felt all around. Mr. Bill from number three, telling us tales To take our minds from the impending hails. All clear, the siren blasts, loud and clear At last, we can scramble out of here. It’s day light now; but everything has changed Houses have somehow been re-arranged. Then slowly the full horror descended on me Joe’s house gone, Joe and his whole family. I just can’t take it in, my best mate gone Someone, shake me, tell me I’ve got it all wrong. How I miss Joe, no one could take his place Wherever I went I could still see his face. I needed to tell him a Telegram came No Dad, no mate, just unendurable pain. Many wars have been fought; millions of lives lost Human tragedy at unspeakable cost Cruelty beyond imagination meted out To those who were helpless, without clout. For those who went away to fight – Thank you To those who stayed at home to fight – Thank you Those who still carry scars, their pain disguise – Thank you And those who paid with their precious lives – Thank you For our freedom and privileges, you paid the debt In this act of Remembrance – we will not forget! TOMMY by Dorothy Lockyer© His name is Tommy, he is led to ght For his country, for values considered right. In uniform smart he marches with pride Leaving loved ones and a newlywed bride. His name is Tommy, joined with comrades new ere are hundreds and thousands, not just a few. ey are transported onto foreign soil ere they dig trenches, no rest, just toil. A cacophony of noise lls the air Screams of wounded men, it’s just a nightmare. Orders barked out, ght on they must In their commanding o cers, put their trust. On those foreign elds so many men fell e stench, the slaughter, a picture from hell. ey fought for freedom and a better world Where the ag of peace could be unfurled. Today we remember, let us not forget. For those who gave all, we owe a great debt. Is my life worthy of the great price paid? We will remember, their memory won’t fade. Tears of Red and Gold by Jill Tomlin© e Virginia Creeper winds up the shed Spends spring and summer in a dark green spread en autumn comes, so much has changed On battle elds where blood was shed Remembrance Day, the nation cries Under leaden skies for stolen lives Proudly worn, those poppies red In grateful thanks to those now dead Our creeper echoes back this theme In red and gold, the colours gleam Lest We Forget, reminding us still Standing proud in autumn’s chill. e colours now are rearranged Red gold leaves fall silently to the ground Pooling there without a single sound Memories of poppies red
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