Yesterday was the 70th anniversary of D-Day. After watching all the programmes and documentaries on it I feel inclined to post a poem about it today. So many poems written about war. And what's more surprising - so many of the poets, soldiers from the front.
D-Day was a victory yes, for democracy, for freedom, but it came at a terrible price, a colossal loss. Karl Shapiro echoes this two-sided sentiment here I think.
Epitaph - Karl Shapiro
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
a Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
remember that this stranger died in pain;
and passing here if you can lift your eyes
upon a peace kept by human creed,
know that one soldier has not died in vain.
Epitaph
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
Epitaph
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
Epitaph
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
Underneath this wooden cross there lies
A Christian killed in battle.
You who read,
Remember that this stranger died in pain;
And passing here, if you can lift your eyes
Upon a peace kept by human creed,
Know that one soldier has not died in vain.
- See more at: http://voiceseducation.org/content/karl-shapiro-american#sthash.Kzu886Mt.dpuf
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