The Memory of a Soldier.

It was the 11^th hour, of the 11^th day, of the 11^th month

My uncle came around

Sensibly he gathered the family

This was unusual – he wasn’t usually sensible

“I’ll tell you a story.” he said

He started his invisible journey to his past

Of a painful, horrible and terrible memory

 

“I probably would be dead if it wasn’t for my mate Bill

He shot the man who almost had me

For he shot him in the mouth

His tongue hung on his chin terribly.

I couldn’t leave him there.

I tried to be helpful by simply taking him in my arms

I felt him tremble – It was too late for the sufferer of war.

 

I heard a noise.

It was a voice.

A wonderful feeling ran through me.

“We’ve won - the war’s over!” a crowd shouted in joy.

The sight of them laughing and hearing their cheers was beautiful.

Suddenly I looked at the dead boy.

I think he was just a teenager

His young life was grasped away from him.

This I found hard to handle.

 

So I hope you can recognise what this day means.

So many suffered for us

And some against

But a man is a man

Sides don’t matter when people die

I was nearly one of them

And even though that man tried to kill me

The sight of him still runs in my mind.

I wish I could go back and stop him from dying

Without killing myself.”

 

by Rhys Hopes, aged 10, Llwynypia.