Beacon of Light Bright is for light. Light is for us. Hope is for life. Peace is for everyone. Albert Newton
The Day the War Froze Pristine white frost descended, Silver moonlight shone, And all was covered in a pearly white On the segregated battlefield. Hearts skipped a beat, The men put down their rifles, And they stopped. For that moment, The World seemed to freeze. And in those few seconds, Foes became friends, Hates became likes, And war became peace. The Germans burst into song, A merry Christmas carol, For these soldiers did not fight war, They were there for peace, For freedom. That Christmas proved to be the truest of all, For the terrible war ceased, The Germans replied with an outburst of a festive carol, Hands were shook, Gifts exchanged, Games played, And friendships made. And all because of one thing, Christmas is not for war. Molly Busfield
Missing in action I hang up your jacket, You used to wear it with that, Wide grin on your face, Before you had to go. Now it has no owner, Sitting on the hanger, Faded in colour, Waiting to be worn again. A sign that shows: Your courage, Your bravery, Your willingness to fight. Everything is over now, You never returned, Yet I still feel you here, Your warm presence. I have a feeling of peace and closure, You did what you had to do, To win, to feel brave, To have a purpose. The empty, faded jacket, Is a beacon of hope, A reminder that I had the Privilege of knowing you. You taught me that, I have a purpose, You can fight for your dreams, Or die trying. Olivia Chapple
Remembrance flower The delicate, glowing, remembrance flower, Soft by touch, rough with memory. What if red didn t resemble blood, warnings? What if red could show light, hope and peace? A cross in the shadows, surrounded by poppies, Pride, freedom and life echo from the grave, Dead, gone, forgotten. But that is not the message a century later, Life is present. Remembered. A long green thread, holding up the red flower, Presenting its work, presenting its growth. A plant like no other, meanings as deep as the sea, Thousands of men left comfort for war, Some returned with memories, Others didn t. But slipped into others hearts instead. Sad tales start with a field full of blood, Happy endings never present in war, They ended with a field full of poppies, Mistaken for blood and death. The cherry petals hide the darkness. They protect the black middle, the dark lies; Rumours of pain and loss of life from the war. The truth is, the petals are bigger than the middle, Happy memories overwhelm the sad tales. Churned up earth, dug up to bury soldiers, Dead land, no life left over the graves, Smothering hope in Ypres. The poppy sprouts out of the fertile soil, Sending light over that area, Spreading peace over the world. Sophie Chapple
Turning to the light It s been a long night No moon, no stars Sky heavy as sacks of coal dust. It s that quiet I can hear watches Ticking in dark pockets, A sound of home, or is it our hearts? A thin line lights the horizon, Pale, watery as blue eyes, Promising more. Dawn paints itself out of darkness, Warming the clouds. We turn to face the sun, like flowers. Alison Riley
Keeping the light Peace is a brave bird Plumed with white feathers On which hope takes wing Into tremulous flight, Challenging darkness, Keeping the flame Kindled by breath of sacrificed lives Aloft and alight, As a torch, a beacon Lighting the way Along gentler paths, Reminding us always It s our charge now To keep it glowing, burning, Shining. Sue Forrester
Remembrance Day We think of them still, on Remembrance Day, Those brave young men who went away To fight for their country, trying to be brave, Leaving their families standing there Waving goodbye. Doxeys, Killers, Spencers, Slack, Forty of our men never came back. Middleton men with Middleton names Leaving families behind, with lives that changed When they died. They fought for England in mud and rain, And most of them never saw England again, Grattons, Goodhalls, Hallows, Slack, And all the others who didn t come back To live here. But all of them fought and some survived, Came back to Middleton, lived their lives in peace, Gave us hope for the future, that peace would last, A hope that the world would learn from the past, And remember. Doxeys, Brooks, Spencers, Slacks are living here still With passed on stories of the First World War And the horrors that those soldiers saw. And those Middleton men who lost their lives We will remember them. Catherine Housley
Echoes What hope could we give When we had none. What peace could we bring When we knew only war. What light could we shine When we ended in darkness. Hope, peace and light Were never ours to give But yours to make From our stories Of order and chaos. We made a new landscape With our bodies. Light its horizons with a different kind of fire. Listen to the echoes of ordinary men Marching, And use their passing wisely. Roy Young
Tommy s Wish Chase the Sun my lovely Bask in her glow, for me. Seize the day my lovely Run wild, run free, for me. Bless the moon my lovely Fulfil every dream, for me. Rae Gray