Darkness is to day as dawn is to night
As hobgoblins roam to give you a fright
I recall the days as child in my bed
As curtains were drawn that feeling of dread
Made worse by brother who set fire to fuel
Of telling stories of ogres so cruel
I'd sleep okay but end up dreaming
Of witches and wolves and wake up screaming
Mother came in to see me filled with dread
Only to find that I had wet my bed
So change clothes, change bed, oh what a to do!
I got back to sleep then brother shouted "Boo!"
By luck parents heard every word said
So next day Dad cleared spare room for my bed
From that day on I never wet myself
Even put my books on very own shelf
How sweet now my dreams as the younger son
Fairies and pixies play in the bright sun
Paddling in the stream of the dark wood
Living a joyous childhood as I should
Why do these long gone times now flood my brain?
Those halcyon days playing in the rain
How thankful I was the boy that roamed far
Despite my Britain was then deep in war
How versatile us children really were
Planes, bombs and losing uncles we held dear
School was good but then how much more we learnt
By seeing buildings bombed, destroyed and burnt
Image found at https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/517632550911750689/
This poem about WW2 is based on my early life at that time but is completely mixed up so that it cannot be said to be true. It merely gives the feel of war to a five year old child. Many children then were bed wetters because they were aware and frightened. Luckily I was not so troubled being younger when the war started so everything to me seemed normal!
Strange...I wrote about WW2 as well It had an impact on so many generations I think.
ReplyDeleteOoh the hour of darkness, childhood memories and world war two captured so eloquently in your verse, Robin!
ReplyDeleteChildren are amazingly resilient, finding ways to play amidst the destruction of war.
ReplyDeleteThe background of darkness WW2 is cleverly layered with the dread and fright of a child's dreams. An absolutely stunning poem Robin.
ReplyDeleteHappy you dropped by my blog today
Much💟love
Wow!
ReplyDeleteI never linked the cruelty of children with that of war before, but the darkness surrounding fear is similar, as is the use of darkness to rise fear.
Very interesting to look into the situation of a young boy in WW2 the fright and the resilience Great poem
ReplyDeleteA chilling picture of the war times. However I am of the opinion that I"Darkness is to day as dawn is to night" still applies to our times. Children of so many countries, even now are living in the same darkness. So tragic.
ReplyDeleteI see you’ve gone back to childhood darkness too, Robin! Yours were not so very different to my own even if there’s a decade or so between us! I only know about the war from my parents and grandparents, and history books, films and TV, of course, but enough to write a Second World War ghost story for children called Joe and Nelly.
ReplyDeleteOh, the mischief kids can get up to, and siblings we love that vex. The background of war though gives a darker twist; a chilling thought of children having to experience war. Your poem is affecting, Robin.
ReplyDeleteThe anxiety created by outside factors can have a huge psychological and physiological effect on people, especially the very young. It must be why the turmoil of war can be so devastating... on all.
ReplyDeleteOh, but it is true---all of it! For it is a poem, and poems are always true, because they touch something deep inside us. Thanks for writing this mixed-up truth.
ReplyDelete