Oh Mum

Oh Mum: Oh mum I’m so sorry I have to send this to you You never wanted me to go, but I am not one of the few Oh mum, remember when you kissed away my pain I wish you could do that once more - yes again. I’m so sorry mum on the day we did part I remember your bravery even though I’d broken your heart. The noise and the wet here and the terrible smell I never believed your teachings of hell… But I now know there is hell on earth I’m here for a while for what it is worth Remember when I had a stick for a gun We played at war as children, it was such great fun. I wanted to be a hero or soldier at best A hero with a gun, and bullet proof chest… You soothed and cajoled but I never did change Oh mum how I wish this wasn’t so strange… Remember when you wiped away my secret tears I was angry you saw back then I had fears. The rain is mingling mum, with tears running now If only you could wipe them from me, someway, somehow. The stench is overpowering the noise is intense The bombs all around, dead men hung on razor-wire fence. The death and destruction is all around I’m floating and falling my thoughts do abound. Oh mum, I wish I had listened to you The glory I thought would be mine - and yours too Be proud of me mum but I feel so helpless and small I am not sure now- but I think I will fall.  I love you mum and I remember it well The storms after dad died but you managed so well You did a good job that’s what I like to think You saw me through boyhood, manhood and drink. I am here mum, I signed up I know I left you that day I thought it would be fun like when I used to play Here is death and destruction, and I don’t want you to read this But I must say good-bye mum, your love I do miss. The kisses you gave, you never did falter. You watched over me, and I think I did alter... I came to this war a man, I never realised the boy was still there mum Today mum my last; I am your frightened little son. My fears are now that without me, will you cope? Without me mum - there is no false hope I love you so much more everyday But it’s time to say goodbye and I feel today is that day…. I wrote this after doing my family tree and found one of my great Uncles, the only one of thirteen siblings signed up and went to WWW1, not needing to do this as they were farmers. He died in the last week in France ©GG 18/07/2012