by William Flower Kempson – Uncle Bill to Judith Light (c) Judith Light 2024
“Will you give them a stone?”
Who can give back the time that is gone?
Who can give back the days?
Before we answer to countries call
And left our separate ways
Was it in vain the labour?
The sacrifice?
Was it in vain?
Are they years that the locust have eaten?
The years when the dragon was slain?
They made us a joyous welcome with
Bunting and bean fests and bands.
Then they shut their eyes to our further needs
Their ears to our just demands.
It’s pleasant to see you safely back
It’s good that you were not killed
Your names on a roll of honour
But your place-well it had to be filled.
Only a bar of ribbon or a strip of golden braid
To mark the bigger man who went
from the smaller men who stayed
We dwelt with a fierce obsession on your gallant deeds before
And We cheered when you passed in procession
Surely you don’t want more?
Comforts you sent to the wounded
Honour you yielded the dead
Now there’s the living to deal with
And a problem to face instead
And the danger still was on you
Did you think the time to come
Would see Our Galant lads of the front
As the unemployed at home
Dead are the flowers you scattered
Cheers have been born away
And Yesterday’s things that mattered
Are myths of the past today.
For you they fought and they laboured
For you they have paid the price
Are the years that the locust has eaten
The years of their sacrifice
*** Bible: Matthew 7/9-11
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone. Or if he asks for fish, will he give him a snake?
Judith Light 