After we arrived home from our recent visit to World War 1 sites in France and Flanders we received this email from Stuart Davies who had been part of the group. Flatiron Copse is a cemetery at Mametz.
Hi Viv and Eif,
I was lying awake last night, mulling over what we had seen over the last few days and a poem came to me. I’ve never written anything before but it came to me and I had to jot it down before I forgot it!
Flatiron Copse
I went to France the other day,
to places read in books, not seen.
To walk amongst the solemn rows
of white faced graves in swathes that stare
across the sweeping fields of France,
where in the summer, poppies danced.
*
The chalky earth was churned and sown
with rusted wire and human bone.
The harvest now is clear to see
in white faced graves that stare
across the sweeping fields of France
where in the summer poppies danced.
*
Flat iron wood lies peaceful now
No rattling fire, no cries for help.
No shot nor shell nor bayonet work
Just white faced graves that stare
across the sweeping fields of France
where in the summer poppies danced.
*
I came to see, to feel, to cry
I came to think and wonder why?
These boys lie here and not at home
in white faced graves that stare
across the weeping fields of France
where in the summer, poppies danced.
Where in the summer, poppies danced.
*
Stuart is standing on the left wearing the big hat. He is singing with Mags and Keith Humphreys at the grave of Hedd Wynn.
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