Keeping the peace

Enjoying retirement?

Yes, I am sir. Oft looking back to when I was young, sir.

You know, life’s a kind of continuum,

both ends stretching ad infinitum.

I think that’s great! I do indeed, sir, sit down and talk with me some more, sir.

Well, I’ve played many parts in my time,

and how about you?

Oh yes, me too. Par for the course, sir, enjoyed them too, along with you, sir?

 Mostly, though I hasten to add,

there’s a few I’d rather not have had;

the war you know, the Brits and Fritz,

playing so many dirty tricks.

You’ve known those too then it would seem, hearing the siren’s warning scream?

 In air-raid shelter, hoping they’d miss?

Yes! And hearing the incendiary’s burning hiss.

Of course, I too was also young,

barely into my teenage years.

Hearing the drone of enemy bombers,

seeing the destruction of many homes.

Still, we mustn’t dwell on those days, sir, think of the fun we had before the war came.

 Yes, yes, of course, you’re right.

It’s just that I was orphaned on one of those nights.

Oh dear, how sad but that is life sir, both sides now keen on keeping the peace, sir.

 Yes, I know, I’m doing my bit.

Well here’s to you and your good health sir,

former enemy prisoner of war, sir.

*

Dennis Crompton © 1995

(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)