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A Century of Learning

Flanders: Summer 1920
 
The summer zephyr softly grooms
The golden ripening barley field
Makes gentle waves of feathered plumes
And earth by nature’s hand is healed

Mere two years since these fields were torn
The bland mild landscape ripped and stained
Dark gashes scarred the growing corn
And blood splashed red the fertile plain

Now scarlet poppies dash the sward 
And sway as in bucolic hay
Thus all is peace in sweet accord
The lesson learned, we’ll not replay

The war to end all wars has schooled
The nations hence by peace be ruled

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Funom Makama

Date: 6/25/2020 4:10:00 PM

Oh dear.. What a lovely piece you have here. Your craft is definitely seasoned with lots of creativity. Great poem.

Wendy Watson

Date: 6/21/2020 5:18:00 PM

This is excellent, Geoffrey. The contrasts between harsh and soft sounds reflecting the different scenes evoked was very effective and it flows beautifully. I am so glad that I came across your thought-provoking and masterfully written poem tonight. Faved.

Geoffrey Brewer
Date: 6/23/2020 3:43:00 AM

Thank you so much for your kind and flattering words, Wendy.

Martin Braun

Date: 6/15/2020 7:09:00 AM

Thank you. History teaches us so much, how we in all our heroics... in all our noble efforts, cannot attain our greatest of goals, that of salvation, peace, and love. The "war to end all wars," has perhaps become alpha to the omega "all wars to war end."

Geoffrey Brewer
Date: 6/23/2020 3:41:00 AM

It may ever be so, but we don’t give up. Thanks for your response, Martin.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 6/14/2020 8:07:00 PM

Inspiring poem of regeneration, with a potent message for the future. Thanks, Geoffrey! :) Gershon

Geoffrey Brewer
Date: 6/15/2020 3:07:00 AM

Thanks, Gershon. Perhaps I should have mentioned that there is, along with the optimism, a touch of intended irony in this poem, that you may well have spotted - 100 years on, we are still trying to learn, with many set-backs on the way.