What Do You Remember?
What do you remember of Nineteen and Thirty-nine
When war-clouds darkened the world’s skies To which yet some were blind?
What do you remember of that time of awful strife;
Of the German hordes and their Nazi lords and their disregard for life?
What do you remember of that time of total war,
When Canada’s sons and daughters fought on foreign shores?
What do you remember of those days now long gone by
When men-of-war plied the Seven Seas and warplanes filled the sky?
What do you remember of the bloodshed, the pain, the fear
Of “Missing in action; presumed dead.” — Words loved ones dreaded to hear?
What do you remember of that time away back then;
Of blackouts and of Victory Bonds and talk of fighting men?
What do you remember of Nineteen and Forty-five;
Of weary men on battle fronts just glad to be alive?
What do you remember, if anything at all,
Of the awful cost of all-out war when men answer duty’s call?
What do you remember of those returning home
With wounded legs and arms and eyes and terrors all their own.
What do you remember? Quite a lot, if you’re like me,
Even though, when that war began, I had not quite yet turned three.
But you say, “I can’t remember.” Then think and watch and pray
And give thanks to God, who made us all, for the freedoms you have today.
a. franklin staples
Copyright© 1992
by A. Franklin Staples
