Our listeners' stories of the First World War.
We heard tonight from 13 year old Rebecca Oughton, and her poem "War".
You can read her poem below - just click on "continue reading".
You might also want to read the stories our listeners have posted on the blog. To read those, please click HERE.
WAR.
Silence.
Except for the constant rattle of machine guns, The shrill screeching of shells And the blood curdling screams of dying men.
Stillness.
Except for the eerie scurrying of rats, The smooth flight of bomber planes And the soldiers running frantically like children from a dog.
Happiness.
Except for the wounded, never to walk again, The soldiers fighting for their lives on the front line And the families receiving that dreaded telegram.
Strength.
Except for the hopelessness in the face of death, The screaming pain inflicted on arms being forced to hold a rifle for hours And the feeling of your legs giving way beneath you.
Glory.
Except for the possibility of never returning home, The sheer terror overcoming all other emotions And the vanishing of all hopes of a red uniform and a brass band Life.
Except for the festering corpses scattered like poppy seeds, The men falling soundlessly, never to laugh again And the dull, lifeless eyes of the friend you have known since childhood.
Peace.
Except for the war.
Listen to PM
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Thank you, Eddie. Thank you, Rebecca. It is deeply moving, and most appropriate.
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Agree with Big Sis: Rebecca that was a wonderful and moving poem. I'm so pleased that Eddie and the PM team recorded it for us all. I look forward to hearing more from Rebecca and wish her well in her future as a young poet.
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I found this poem terribly moving and felt it was one of the clearest expressions of the horrors of war I have heard. Although I'm not qualified to judge it stuck me as a very accomplished poem, and an extraordinary achievement from a 13 year old. I really hope it will find a large audience - and perhaps even be read at one of the remembrance services next year - as I think many might find it as moving as I did.
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I listened with interest to Rebecca's Poem as I drove home from work and found it very thought provoking. A very moving and educational poem that demonstrates how young poeple can still appreciate the sentiments of a past event with emotion as if they may have experienced some of it personally. I enjoyed the poem a great deal. Thank you Rebecca.
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I would like to add my congratulations too. The poem is beautiful - thank you. Many schools are and have been doing a fantastic job of ensuring WW1 and WW2 are never forgotten, or the people who fought and lived through those times. Authors like Michael Morpurgo ('Private Peaceful') have enabled us to teach their experiences through History and English lessons both in Primary and Secondary phases. Grandparents have come in to classes and shared their memories with enthralled children. Trips to the trenches and visits to the cemetaries have taken students from the schools I have been involved with and my own children for the past ten years. It has been particularly touching this year to see the veterans and the young taking part in the services together. I would encourage anyone, when the opportunity arises, to take their stories in to schools and share the real history of their experiences.
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I don't mean to carp but ......
There should be a paragraph inserted between 'brass band' and 'Life'.
It's such an engrossing read that your brain compensates for it, but the break does need to be put in.
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Sara956 (5) You're absolutely right. My daughter's primary school took her year on a week-long trip to Normandy in the summer, where they took part in D-Day services and met veterans. She found it very moving and profound and visiting the war cemeteries in particular was an important moment for the whole year group.
Co-incidentally, her school has won the Spirit of Normandy prize for the work they did on WW2 during her Year 6 and she is off to the Imperial War Museum tomorrow to collect the award.
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I watched, "My Family at War" last night and, in addition to the familiy stories, two things stood out. The way that the people of a small French town still honour the Australians who fought for them and the amazingly good state of repair of French schools that were build before and just after WW1. There are lessons for us in both of those.
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