January 1940, the water in the harbour was frozen.
The boy was two years old and enemy soldiers
Thronged narrow streets in the small coastal town.
The child seeing the strange soldiers had no fear,
But he absorbed the alarm of the adults and cried.
He remembers only vaguely this war, that has had
So many books written about it, the loud noise
Bombs made and the warm fire of burning factories.
And that was the extent of the boy's war, he was
Brought to a farm inland far from war and hunger.
He was not to know the place of sedition and had
Become a mascot for treason. Bullets hitting walls;
Other soldiers came and torched the farm; peace.
Indistinct memories and the shadow of remorse.
