Smile at us still. Together we had known
The chill hypnotic thirties threat of war
And war itself. Wrenched from our peaceful ways
We saw Dunkirk, had watched the French collapse,
Felt proud that we were on our own. The years
Limped on, while field and desert, jungle, sea
And air imposed their cruel chill.
Brought peace, of sorts - the Russians had the bomb.
We married, blew upon the embers of careers,
Raised our families; in parallel
Berlin, Korea, Suez, Vietnam
Erupted, fouled this earth, absorbed young lives.
But we were not at war. Indeed, our sons,
Aberrant generation upon which fell
No call to arms, could, menace-free, propose
And realise - and this for year on year.
Came Gorbachov. His epic Openness
Engulfed the man, his party and his land,
Yet raised the curtain on a grateful world.
Ironic that, while nations should oppose
But not engage for fear the mushroom cloud,
Their helots fresh-released from thraldom should
Each tribally contest his neighbour 's ground.
Pray God that E.E.C maturity
Should world-wide see the rifle disavowed.
John Wedge
1992
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