The Gurkha Soldier

Cherry

By london_calling79

Sat, 31 Oct 2015
  • 2096 reads
6 comments
 

Bravest of the brave,
most generous of the generous,
never had country
more faithful friends
than you.
Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC

 

He strolls in tepid English sun,

hands clasped in small of back.

Sparrow-haired, textiled,

wife paces ten behind.

 

His temperate nod greets

lukewarm welcomes,

some stares,

comments whispered,

“...thought they’d all gone.”

 

He smiles at foreign tongues

sharp as khukuri. Kneels and whispers

well done – shᾱbᾱsh, Gurung

in honour of fallen friends.

 

With the sign of the twelve, 

he prays over obese streets

and marches on,

holding worlds together,

manhandling

an oasis of calm

in a place,

evacuated.

Certificate PG
Poem
New Set
Other Non-fiction

Comments

Submitted by VeraClark on

Some powerful imagery - another sense of place well captured. 

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thanks, Vera. Lots of these guys are still living and paying their respects in Aldershot despite the army having moved on from there. 

 

Thanks for for the cherries Eds!

 

Submitted by Bee on

Perfectly visual and meaningful. 

Bee

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Thank you Bee! Hope I've done them a bit of justice.

 

Submitted by scratch on

A debt never paid.  Valour denied.  Turn away.

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

They suffer such indignity after such loyal service. I was lucky enough to teach a few Gurkha kids and they were wonderful, thoughtful children. So aware of the lessons of history and above petty revenge. I also taught some who were drug dealers buy hey ho let's look at the positives!