Two Soldiers – Writing Outside the Lines – Prompt 35

Source: Writer’s Write

Think about the first thing you wrote that you posted for this challenge, or shared with someone else, or had published for others to read. Do you agree with Steven’s quote or did you have a totally different visceral response to your first piece?

Two Soldiers

Unlike my friend Steven, I have never written a novel, perhaps one day. I have had few pieces of writing published outside of obscure anthologies that were not for sale. But, the first piece that was actually published was a poem I wrote about my father and grandfather, framed and gifted to my mother.

As mothers will, she wanted to share her child’s work and took it to the small local rural paper where I grew up … there must have been a lack of local news that week because my poem found its way into the next publication.

There were no accolades, no acclaim to my writing, just a spot buried in the middle of some page and forgotten by the next week’s trash day. That original piece has long ago disappeared. The framed original is goodness only knows where. A copy saved on a misplaced computer disk if found would not have a computer that could retrieve it.

A few years ago, I thought of that poem and attempted to recreate it … which was impossible. However, I did write a reasonable copy that you may read below – Two Soldiers.

Above the fireplace in my childhood home hand a portrait of my father and my grandfather … my mother’s father. Each are in uniform and each portrait was created by the same company. The frames are similar but not identical with military insignia and a raised dome glass covering each. The poem was about both men and their different wars. 

TWO SOLDIERS*

 Two soldiers look down from above

Two soldiers serving the land they loved

The one to the left — WWI — my Grandfather

The one to the right — WWII — my Father

 Each fought for our freedom in their own way

My grandfather I never knew

My father I miss every day

©Annie – Orignal Poetry

Perhaps one day I will experience the of writing that first novel and having my soul torn between a labour of love and madness!

Copyright © 2016 Annie
Always…I wish you peace, joy and happiness, but most of all I wish you Love.
As Ever, Annie