Play Time

he remembers the autumn of 1942 when the troops moved forward before Stalingrad fell and winter crushed bodies and minds under fire tanks pulverizing soldiers and some falling by the wayside on purpose to end the war and find heaven or hell which one did not really matter food parcels from the home front and letters to family or sweethearts but victory had already become sour and Heils and raised arms tired he survived with scars and vowed never again to be hungry or cold the pantry always full and heating in summer full blast at 28 degrees the will to live planted some sort of serenity though emotions and pain would be never expressed to his offspring for the shells were still there when final defeat was sealed and an innocent youth had been stolen he played hide and seek with fellow survivors young men by that time in the end seasons were kind and soothed guilt and following orders he learnt to appreciate the turn of events and spinning of the earth changed ribbons and medals for flowers and bees in the hedgerows and promised to fight for peace instead of rape pillage and murder 21st August 2020