(My great-uncle Bill, despite being wounded during the First World War (1914-18), joined the International Brigade at the age of 38 to fight the fascism of Franco's Spain in the 1930's. He survived the Guernica blitzkreig. He died in 1969 a few weeks after I had returned from my first sojourn in Africa.)

Surrounded by a crimson wave of paregoric blooms

I sat with you to plan a peaceful dawn

And touched my trembling fingers

To your many livid wounds

That healed so long before my soul was formed

We marched across a burning field where smoke obscured the sun

And turned a shining daylight into night

We forged our hearts together

We welded into one

But never, ever held each other tight

In the midst of my wild childhood and the pain of your old age

We studied all the shadows in your mind

The glint from my astonished eyes would light up each new page

Of the words you spoke

And now those words are mine

I found a battle we could share, a chance to live again

The loving times by which you set such store

But then I suffered no great wound

And you couldn't understand

The chance to do what I had done for you

The faith and pain and hope you felt were oh so closely held

And I am grateful I was drawn within

You had bloody scars to show

But my blemishes just fold

Inside my mind where you'll not see again.

Keyword: spanish civil war communists freedom africa

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Comments (9)

Posted by bakerSdozen 2008-08-25 18:11:12 .... This was a grand poem. Ill admit I don't grasp poems very well and this was was kinda hard for me to really understand but I think it was really good if that makes sense + Report this comment
Posted by r.e.potter 2008-08-25 18:51:42 awesome Mr. West, this was incredible, your account with your great uncle. You shared it with us in a most elogant way. You are quite the poet with words. Good job. + Report this comment
Posted by Ashutosh 2008-08-26 01:33:04 .... Good Poem, Stephen. Quite striking and vivid imagery. The first 3 stanzas seemed quite powerful to me. I did have a problem with the last two, but that could be just me. Great poetry overall. + Report this comment
Posted by Zombie Punk 2008-08-26 04:05:27 Blitzkreig Bop! Awesome details, you don't see that too much in Poetry, do you? Mr. West, will you ever cease to amaze me? This was written so well, and you've must have had a very interesting life, huh? Great work once again, looking forward for more. Cheers! + Report this comment
Posted by philneale1952 2008-08-26 04:28:48 Top Stuff Really liked the flow of the five line stanza form. Very emotional piece, and pulled at the heart strings. Won't do a "Chaabuk" on you Stephen. I just simply liked it. Phil + Report this comment
Posted by Terry Collett 2008-08-28 14:16:03 .... I wish to see more of this quality of poetry; you have composed something special here, Stephen, a poem to plaster over the walls and read from wherever one stands. As Oliver Twist, please Sir, can I have some more! + Report this comment
Posted by Pilgrim 2008-09-04 15:36:59 .... This was well written. I was able to flow through the words, as if I could share or take part in the story portrayed. Good job. + Report this comment
Posted by Tarhead Mugwump 2008-09-08 11:16:28 internationale relations there is a lot of poetry available here, but this is so much different from most. most poets have a good amount of empathy running about their souls, and they depict pain, sorrow, and happiness well. but this poem smacks of experience as well as emotion. which makes for a much better piece. write on! + Report this comment
Posted by hafwit 2008-10-16 18:06:16 .... painfully sweet. the rhytmhm isn't of my liking, (ya can't please all the poets all the time) even still I love your way with words. + Report this comment

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