Fallen

794px-odilon_redon_-_tears_les_pleurs_-_google_art_project©Odilon Redon

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moving images in charcoal hue
haunting our memory horizon
as tears go by

two minutes a year is enough
stealing away from the crowd
wish I could fly

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In the Netherlands, May 4 is National Memorial Day for those who fell for our freedom during World War II (and before, and after). At 8.00PM CET everyone is silent for two minutes in respect.

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17 thoughts on “Fallen”

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  13. Many people forget that while the British, and later the US forces, were battling against the Nazis, the resistance movements in the occupied countries were fighting tooth and nail for their freedom. An author I know, Aiden Chambers, wrote a fantastic book about it, Postcards from No Man’s Land, and I’ve seen some excellent Dutch films about the Resistance. I agree with Björn that the Redon painting complements your words, Peter. We do see the images of the war ‘in charcoal hue haunting our memory horizon’. I was surprised when I saw colour photographs, whether tinted or not, which make the scenes more up-to-date. I prefer to keep them black and white.

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  16. When I was young, I remember sirens going off, and my mother told me to be quiet, it was a notice that we were all to be silent for a minute, and that I should think and pray about the people who had died in Vietnam. I have some faint memory that my country was withdrawing from the conflict there. it was not an annual tradition, but it has stayed with me. These Haiku of yours are perfectly lovely and so very moving. Two stanzas are enough,

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