90th Anniversary of the Armistice
90 years ago today they signed the Armistice to signal the end of the War to end all Wars. Of course, it wasn't by any means the end of war. This poem wasn't written for the Armistice but it is appropriate for the day, I feel.
Everyone Sang
Everyone suddenly burst out singing;
And I was filled with such delight
As prisoned birds must find in freedom,
Winging wildly across the white
Orchards and dark-green fields; on - on - and out of sight.
Everyone's voice was suddenly lifted;
And beauty came like the setting sun:
My heart was shaken with tears; and horror
Drifted away ... O, but Everyone
Was a bird; and the song was wordless; the singing will never be done.
(c) Siegfried Sassoon
4 comments:
this poem evokes the feelings a lot of us have had this past week following the US presidential election, a sense that there is now singing and that the singing will go on. It's a timely reminder, though, that of course there will still be reasons not to sing, even though we do sing now. Lovely poem.
And you Americans were not alone in feeling that way. I know plenty of Brits who felt a good deal of hope at the election of Barack Obama.
But anyone with any sense will know that Obama doesn't hold a magic wand with which to cure the world's ills, any more than the Armistice signalled the end of all wars...
Michele,
Just stopping by to say HI!
Yes, many of us Americans are exuberant over the election of Barack Obama! I never thought I would see an African American elected president in my lifetime. Sometimes people are surprising.
BTW, My father was stationed in Chipping Norton for part of his time in Europe during World War II. He loved it there in the Cotswolds. He always talked about England fondly. In 1972, my husband and traveled around England and Scotland by car. We fell in love with both countries--and we especially liked the Cotswolds.
Hi Elaine.
Chipping Norton's not too many miles from me... It's a lovely place - but then, I grew up in the Cotswolds, so I'm biased!
I'm not sure America could have persuaded anyone to take it seriously had it elected Obama.
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