Categories: War
Memories long forgotten
Flood back into my mind
Thoughts and feelings from long ago
That I thought I’d left behind.
The damp, earthy smell of the shelter
Even in summer there was a chill
The hardness of the wooden bench
I can feel those thin slats still.
Wrapped in threadbare blankets
Worn thinner year after year
The nights were very long and cold
Interspersed with dread and fear.
For even in the depths of the shelter
We could hear the siren sound
Then the throb of low-flying bombers
As they dropped their bombs to the ground.
We silently lay in the darkness
Everyone holding their breathe
Would this be the night when we took a hit?
Destruction. Injury. Death!
Sometimes the raids would last a long time
And everyone awoke
The parents would cuddle their children
But hardly anyone spoke.
We all just sat listening and waiting
Longing for the welcome ‘All Clear’
We’ve managed to survive another night
The new day was nearly here.
As early dawn-light crept through the cracks
Of the long-closed wooden door
Dust from the devastation outside
Formed patterns across the floor.
We picked up our meagre belongings
And blinking moved into the day
Only to find our homes were blitzed
We’re alive but have nowhere to stay.
