Lest We Forget: Poem for Somme 100

By Bridie Breen

Our final post in Manchester Irish Writers' commemoration of the Battle of the Somme.

LEST WE FORGET

Lest we forget

a watery grave 

or grovelling in muck

in rat filled ditches

by brave young men.

Hell bent on justice

and survival.

There for duty

loyalty to brother 

allies and crown

Full of desire

for a better world

with freedom from tyranny.

No time to admire

amber sunsets

at Arromanche

Each new day dawn

scattered the dead

in grit and gloom.

Ashes to ashes

away from home

Au Revoir letters

written before bullet

shot and shell.

Resilient mothers

suffocated by grief

as paper telegrams 

choked breath and dreams.

The unborn unknowing

of the reason

for bravery.

Three score and ten

the allotted span 

where peace reigns.

Lest we forget 

the sacrifice

of a ghosted generation

that gifted our sleep

by their bloodied youth.

Beaches of golden silt

buried deep the past

Inscriptions as markers

of heroes not forgotten.

We the keepers 

the watchers

of our world.

Lest we forget.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Poppy images courtesy of & © Alison Morton.

Text © Bridie Breen

Bridie has been a member of Manchester Irish Writers for quite a few years. Although her first love is poetry, she writes on all topics. She has contributed to the group’s publications “Stones of the Heart” and “Changing Skies”. Her Changing Skies piece is available to download as a voice over. She regularly performs at the group’s events. She has had successful collaborations with New Attitude theatre and Emerge theatre in the past and more recently performed with Athlone Poetry in the Park group. She has taken her love of poetry to local cafe settings. She enjoys writing short scripts too. Her wish is to have a poetry anthology published. In the meantime, she’ll be trying out at performance style poetry venues to showcase new work in the coming months.

To find out more about MIW's Somme 100 Commemoration, please click here.

Who were the Irish at the Somme?

By E.M. Powell

2016 marks the centenary of Ireland’s Easter Rising. The events of Easter 1916 marked a crucial turning point in Irish history and ultimately led to Irish independence. But while the Rising was indeed pivotal in Irish history, it was taking place against a background of one of history’s bloodiest and most horrific conflicts: the First World War, in which around 17 million soldiers and civilians were killed. That Ireland supplied 200,000 men to fight Britain's cause against Germany is often overlooked. Many lost their lives or were terribly wounded.

Much of that grievous loss and harm took place at the Battle of the Somme, in Northern France, in which Irishmen from both sides of the political divide fought.

The first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1 1916, was the worst in British military history. Some 19,240 men were killed. By the time the battle ended in November of 1916, over 3,500 Irish soldiers had died, with thousands more wounded.

It was Ulstermen who suffered the worst casualties on that first day. The 36th Ulster Division lost 5,500 officers and men—killed, wounded or missing. The men of that division behaved with the utmost bravery. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded to officers and men of the Division for their gallantry, two of them posthumously. But their sacrifices counted for little. They were the only British division to reach the German second lines, yet made little ground overall.

But Ulster was not the only Irish province to suffer losses. The 16th Irish Division, consisting mainly of men from Munster, Leinster and Connacht had 4,330 casualties in September at the Somme, of whom 1,200 were killed. There were also Irish soldiers who fought in other divisions as part of the regular army or in the newly raised battalions. The total number of Irish casualties will never be known.

Neither was it just Irish men who were at the Somme. Irish women were there, too. Professional nurses and volunteers in the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) and the Red Cross tended to the dying and wounded, and drove ambulances. One estimate puts the number of Irishwomen who served as VADs at 4,500. Some lost their lives or were wounded.

The dead and wounded Irish may have come from both sides of the political divide in an Ireland that was in political turmoil in 1916. For those who did return, that turmoil would continue. Home did not bring peace.

It is easy to claim or blame the dead for one’s own political ends. Yet on this, the evening before the centenary of that appalling battle, perhaps we should pause to consider these words from those who were there: one statement from one side of the Irish struggle, one from the other:

'There is nothing but the mud and the gaping shell-holes - a chaotic wilderness of shell-holes, rim overlapping rim - and, in the bottom of many, the bodies of the dead.'

‘Not a few of the men cried and I cried.’

These words have no politics. They are what we should commemorate. And strive to never have to utter them again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Images courtesy of & © Alison Morton.

MIW member E.M. Powell was born in Cork City into the family of Michael Collins.
She now lives in Manchester with her husband, daughter and a Facebook-friendly dog. Her medieval thriller Fifth Knight series has reached bestseller lists in the U.S., the U.K. and Germany.
Book #3, THE LORD OF IRELAND, was published by Thomas & Mercer on April 5 2016. She is also a contributing editor to International Thriller Writers The Big Thrill magazine, blogs for English Historical Fiction Authors, and reviews fiction & non-fiction for the Historical Novel Society and is part of the HNS social media team. Her website can be found at www.empowell.com.

To find out more about MIW's Somme 100 Commemoration, please click here.

Manchester Irish Writers Somme 100 Commemoration.

By E.M. Powell

2016 marks the centenary of Ireland’s Easter Rising. The events of Easter 1916 marked a crucial turning point in Irish history and ultimately led to Irish independence.

The Government of Ireland has been leading a national and international programme of events to commemorate that important anniversary. In the words of the Embassy of Ireland, its aim has been

‘to remember 1916 and that pivotal period in our history, to reflect on the past 100 years, and to re-imagine our future.’

Manchester Irish Writers marked 1916's centenary in our own commemoration of writing, '1916: The Risen Word' in March of this year at the Irish World Heritage Centre. We have since published many of our pieces on our blog and will be doing so for the remainder of this year.

But while the Rising was indeed pivotal in Irish history, it was taking place against a background of one of history’s bloodiest and most horrific conflicts: the First World War, in which around 17 million soldiers and civilians were killed. That Ireland supplied 200,000 men to fight Britain's cause against Germany is often overlooked. Many lost their lives or were terribly wounded.

Much of that grievous loss and harm took place at the Battle of the Somme, in Northern France, in which Irishmen from both sides of the political divide fought.

The Battle of the Somme commenced on July 1 1916 and lasted until November. A major programme of commemorative events is planned here in the UK and abroad.

Manchester Irish Writers have produced our own commemoration of words to honour the Irishmen who fought and died at the Somme, as well as the enduring impact of their service on their own lives and those they left behind.

Our poems, prose and stories will be published here on our blog from Monday June 27 to Sunday July 3 2016. Links to each post will be on our Facebook Page, which you can find here.

We warmly invite you to join us in our tribute of remembrance and reflection. A link to each post will be added each day.

Monday June 27 2016: 'Somewhere in France' by Kathleen Handrick. A poem inspired by the life of an Oldham priest who went to the Somme.

Tuesday June 28 2016: 'Irish Soldier of the Somme' by Martha Ashwell. The story of the life of a much loved family friend.

Wednesday June 29 2016: 'Who Shall Divide Us' by Patrick Slevin. A poem about the Connaught Rangers, an Irish Infantry regiment of the British Army that fought at the Somme.

Thursday June 30 2016: 'Who were the Irish at the Somme?' by E.M. Powell. A post on the history of the Irishmen and women who were at the Somme.

Friday July 1 2016: 'July 1st 1916' by Bridie Breen. A poem to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.

Saturday July 2 2016: 'Testimonies of Trauma: The Somme and other Battles in World War 1' by Rose Morris. A post that commemorates Irish writers both in World War I and those who wrote of it after.

Saturday July 2 2016: 'The Widow Quinn' by Kevin McMahon. A poem about the widows of the Irishmen who served and how, in parts of Ireland, they were shunned.

Sunday July 3 2016: 'More Like Rugby Than Football' by Des Farry. A post looking at brief moments of normality occurring in a terrible conflict which is set against a sports background and draws some comparisons between both.

Sunday July 3 2016: 'Lest We Forget' by Bridie Breen. Our final post is a poem that calls on us all remember those caught up the conflict.

We hope our writing has informed and given pause for reflection. Thank you for joining us in this important week of commemoration.

Both Sides of the Divide: Poem

By Martha Ashwell

A great deal is written about the qualities and virtues of brave men and women who fight in wars but one side does not have a monopoly on such qualities. Both sides share the same talents and weaknesses. Both sides contain good and bad people. One individual is aimless, another finds purpose – winners and losers on both sides.

One person’s power means another person’s weakness or submission – in the end gain cannot be measured. Death and loss affects everyone. We all share the same human emotions, no matter what our cause. We can all understand our own point of view but what about the opposite point of view? We keep telling the stories but there comes a time when we need to consign history to the past and move forward.

I wrote this poem for us all to remember. To be proud. To give and accept forgiveness and be reconciled. 

BOTH SIDES OF THE DIVIDE

Poets and musicians,

Traitors and dreamers,

Saints and sinners,

All existed

On both sides of the divide.

Brave men and cowards,

Heroes and heroines,

Scoundrels and lords,

All were fighting

On both sides of the divide.

Aimlessness and purpose,

Glory and honour,

Victory and defeat,

All were present

On both sides of the divide.

Pride and shame,

Guilt and regret,

Love and hatred,

All were felt

On both sides of the divide.

Power and weakness,

Gain and loss,

Man and boy

Fought side by side

On both sides of the divide.

Widows and widowers,

Parents and children,

Sadness and tears

Flowed so bitterly

On both sides of the divide.

Now I see clearly, so clearly.

For healing time has intervened.

Our cause was noble, even divine

Everyone said so!

On our side of the divide.

Tell your children,

Speak of valour.

Hide the blood soaked bodies

Deep in the earth you love

On our side of the divide.

Honour your dead.

Uphold their memory.

Let freedom endure.

Gun shots reverberate

On our side of the divide.

Change the text of Revolution

To a softer sound.

Hearts and minds seek resolution

Hands at last unbound

On our side of the divide.

Put grief in a box and

Place it gently in the grave.

Accept what has passed.

Seek reconciliation

On our side of the divide

Forgive your enemies.

Forgive your brothers.

Move forward in accord.

Embrace true peace and gain true freedom

On ALL sides of the divide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Martha Ashwell lives in Stockport and is a member of Manchester Irish Writers.  She loved writing as a child but only started writing seriously about four years ago.  She has written poetry and prose which has been performed at The Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester.

Her main achievement to date is the publication of her personal memoir ‘Celia’s Secret: A Journey towards Reconciliation’.

Find out more by visiting her website at http://marthaashwell.co.uk/home/

The text used in this post is © Martha Ashwell and the images are © E.M. Powell.

Martha wrote 'Both Sides of the Divide' for MIW's commemorative event, '1916 - The Risen Word', which was performed at the Irish World Heritage Centre, Manchester on March 10 2016. MIW received the generous support of the Embassy of Ireland for this event.