Kintyre Remembers - Poem

[Kintyre Forum News]

I received this poem yesterday and thought I should share it today following the Rememberance Parade in the town where a huge crowd turned out to show their respect.

Kintyre Remembers by John Wildish, Sound of Kintyre

We will always remember,
On this day in November,
The sacrifice made,
The price that you paid,
In order to give
The freedom to live
A life that is higher
in the land named Kintyre

As we stand here today
In silence; we pray
that the pain and the cost,
so many lives lost
not in vain, but to give
us; the freedom to live,
a life that is higher
in this land named Kintyre

And lest we forget
The size of the debt,
That we owe to you
The many, the few,
These poppies we lay
To remind us each day
How life became higher
In the land named Kintyre

[Swanseajock]

That sums it up. And this poem, which I heard down hear at last years Festival of Remeberance brings tears to my eyes in an instant.

Repatriation

The leviathan of the sky does land
In England’s green and pleasant Land
Its cargo is more precious than gold
The body of a hero, bold

Once the giants’ engines stopped
The cargo ramp is gently dropped
Carried by six on shoulders true
The hero is saluted by the crew

The coffin draped in a union jack
Is slowly carried out the back
Out of the dark and into light
Slowly down the ramp and to the right

The six approach the hearse all black
And place the hero gently in the back
The six then turn and march away
Their duty has been done this day

Politicians usually have much to say
No sign of them near here today
They hide away and out of danger
Much easier if the hero is a stranger

The hearse with its precious load
Moves slowly out onto the road
The floral tributes line the route
While comrades snap a smart salute

At the edge of a Wiltshire town
The cortege slows its pace right down
The streets are packed, many deep
Some throw flowers, most just weep

The crowd have come to say farewell
The church bell rings a low death knell
Regimental standards are lowered down
As the hero passes through the town

The cortege stops and silence reigns
The townsfolk feel the family’s pain
The nations’ flag lowered to half mast
Our brave hero is home at last

Sgt Andy McFarlane, 2009.