Mark J. Halliday Poet Quatrain

Notes About The Poem

I may be working starting in 2015 at a World War 2 US cemetery in France (The Lorraine Cemetery near the German border).  I've been thinking about the generation that served in that war, and the losses to their families.  I visited that site a dozen times back in the 80s and 90s.

Rappelez Vous, Remember

Rappelez-Vous
(English translation below original French)

Rappelez-vous les petits fils 
Qui ecoutaient leurs grand-peres
Raconter des histoires d’ infanteries 
Et de battailles de la premiere guerre.

Rappelez-vous des braves garcons 
Qui s’imaginaient etre des soldats,
Qui plus tard servaient le drapeau American 
En tant que veritables soldats.

Rappelez-vous des pauvres parents
Qui ont recu des telegrammes et des lettres,
Et qui apres ont place indefiniment
Des etoiles d’ors aux fenetres.

Rappelez-vous de chaque petite amie
Qui esperait un jour se marier
Avec son beau voisin-ami
Qui ne va jamais plus rentrer.

Rappelez-vous des nouvelles jeunes veuves,
Avec ses petits orphelins des peres,
Qui devaient subir les enormes  epreuves
D’elever leurs enfants sans l’aide des peres.

N’oubliez pas les anciens jeunes garcons—
Les chanceux qui ont survecu
Et regardent souvent  les horizons lointains
Cherchant leures ami-fantomes qui ne sont jamais revenues.


Remember

Remember the grandsons
Who listened to their grandfathers
Tell stories of infantries
And battles of the first war.

Remember brave boys
Who pretended to be soldiers
Who later served the American flag
As real soldiers

Remember the poor parents
Who received telegrams and letters
And who afterward indefinitely placed
Gold stars in their windows.

Remember each girlfriend
Who hoped to marry someday
Her handsome neighbor/friend
Who will never come back again.

Remember the new young widows,
With their little fatherless children
Who had to undergo the enormous ordeals
Of raising children without a father’s help.

Don’t forget the former young boys-
The lucky ones who survived,
And often look at the far horizons
For their phantom-friends that never returned.

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Connie Marcum Wong September 28, 2014 at 6:52 PM This poem is very beautifully written with heartfelt sentiments for those who suffered loss. A wonderful tribute to those who served Mark. Best wishes for your new job. I love the French language which most reminds me of poetry. Aloha, Connie Mark J. Halliday September 30, 2014 at 12:20 PM I may be working next year for the gov't branch that overseas the US WWI & WWII cemeteries in Europe. I have this topic on my mind a lot, plus it's been a while since I wrote something in French. Flying to Paris in 2 weeks for interviews. You might also like One Out Of Three, about homeless veterans.