A Note

How does the poem Little Boy, Little Boy
Honour him and pay tribute to the refugees?
It recognizes their craving, their need for, and love of
Democracy, fair play, decency and dignity.

Surely dignity is not such a hard gift to grant?
We all want it.

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A Poem

Memories Upon my Mind

It might be age, or circumstance,
But something ’round me sets my mind
Upon a path quite unforeseen,
And I have memories upon my mind.

These memories revisit from the child
That once I was, and then nostalgia’s waves
Wash over me; and I remember Mom
And  gardens full of poetry in staves.

And memories do live so vibrant there
While all around me memories begin to fade,
And people’s lively eyes begin to dim–
Enough to fear that mine will soon need aid.

With memories upon my mind
I see me as a child at school
Where teachers were not always kind
And sometimes I was treated like a fool.

And as a teen, the bullies ruled;
I suffered many unjust cuts and words of pain
From the hand or mouth of stupid fools,
And try with might, I could not make a gain.

And Oh! the times I wished that I could just forget
Those trying tormentious times,
That memory would fade and I could live
The way the good should live.

And as a man I have some memories;
And those are of my loved one’s fading ones,
And sometimes then I feared contagion’s strike
To turn my mem’ries into silly puns.

And from such memories I know that one can build
A wall’s defence; but also thus resolve to change
And make new memories of diff’rent kinds,
To forge new life that one can re-arrange,

And step away from all the pathos of the past
And from those memories that prey upon my mind,
Recast them as a mold of strength and firm resolve,
The bitter gone the sweet now placed at top of mind.

So now those memories upon my mind
Include adventures that were good, at last,
Like gardens full of verse I breathe new life
And so I take brave steps from out the past

And bring her memories again to life for her,
Remember her the way she always was, so kind,
To offer peace and comfort, give to her her Self,
From memories we have upon our minds.

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