THE BUTTON TIM WILLIAMS NOVEMBER 2014 SUNLIGHT FLASHES , CAUGHT AND REFLECTED OFF A BRASS BUTTON, LIKE AN EXPLOSION IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE, A JACKET BEING FOLDED AND PILED UP WITH OTHERS ALL IDENTICAL BUT INDIVIDUAL, SOME JUST IN SIZE. A BOY WANTING TO BE TAKEN AS A MAN LINES UP, SIGNS HIS NAME , AND IN SOME CASES LIES ABOUT HIS AGE, AGE ! , 18 SIR COMES A WAVERING REPLY, A GLANCE, A KNOWING LOOK , THEN SIGN HERE. THE FOLDED STACKED TOGETHER JACKET IS PRESENTED WITH OTHER KIT, AGAIN THE BUTTON FLASHES IN THE SUNLIGHT AS IT IS PASSED FROM OLD HAND TO YOUNG HAND, JACKET AND BOY NOW ONE, EXCEPTED, A SIGH OF RELIEF THE BRASS BUTTON IS NOW DULLED NO MORE FLASHING IN THE SUNLIGHT, IN THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE IT WOULD MAKE A FINE YOUNG TARGET, LIKE A MATCH IN THE DARKNESS, BANG , GONE. TIME HAS FLOWN, MEMORIES FADE , MY GRANFATHER HAS NOW PASSED ON, THE BRASS BUTTON , NOW ALL SHINING AGAIN, IN MY HAND IT SITS AND MY THOUGHTS GO OUT 100 YEARS ON WE WILL REMEMBER THEM AND I WEAR MY POPPY WITH PRIDE.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 14:58:52 +0000