Waste

On 09/11/202508/11/2025 By Peter's ponderingIn bravery, broken things, courage, death, duty, Fact, horror, Poetry, Remembrance, war, waste18 Comments

Regular readers will remember that I have often reposted “The Last Remembrance” to commemorate Remembrance Sunday. Today, I am offering this simple but powerful poem instead.

I first discovered this poem in September 1968.

Waste of Muscle, waste of Brain,
Waste of Patience, waste of Pain,
Waste of Manhood, waste of Health,
Waste of Beauty, waste of Wealth,
Waste of Blood, and waste of Tears,
Waste of Youth’s most precious years,
Waste of ways the Saints have trod,
Waste of Glory, waste of God,– War!

It was written by Rev Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy, an amazing man. You can read about him here: (Woodbine Willy),

A Simple Song

On 25/08/202525/08/2025 By Peter's ponderingIn #My Music, accountability, childhood, death, Fact, horror, Music, Palestine, song21 Comments

‘A simple song’ is a debut song by Khalid Abdalla. It is dedicated to the children of Palestine, past, present and future. And to all children of genocide. Khalid says the song came to him when, ‘in the middle of an ongoing genocide, Trump and Netanyahu proposed ethnically cleansing Gaza and turning it into a Riviera’. It was first released on his social media and received over half a million views in 24 hours. Khalid is a multidisciplinary artist, known as an actor for his roles in The Crown and The Kite Runner, amongst others, and for his commitment to breaking silence on Palestine.

Written by Khalid Abdalla Produced by Martin Terefe and Dave Okumu Recorded by Liam Larking, Oskar Winberg and George Murphy at Eastcote Studios, London. Assisted by Ed Clay. Mixed by Martin Terefe and George Murphy Khalid Abdalla – Vocals and Piano Dave Okumu – Electric Guitar Martin Terefe – Wurlitzer and Electronics Nikolaj Torp Larsen – Accordion Dan See – Drums Backing vocals by: Jodie Shanahan, Siobhan Elouise; Shamime Ibrahim, Suzanne Ghadban, Bryant Akanmu Mastered by Dyre Gormsen at Eastcote Mastering Recording administration by Annie Benson

Music Video Credits Directed by Khalid Abdalla with Led by Donkeys Bournemouth Beach footage courtesy of Led by Donkeys Studio Footage Director Jamie Isbell, DOP Johnny Ho, with JAM+Post Edited by Milan Mezei

Well, that explains it!

On 07/04/2025 By Peter's ponderingIn broken things, Common sense, fear, horror, Insecurity, nonsense, politics, Re posts, responsibility, truth31 Comments

August 1968

The Ogre does what ogres can,
Deeds quite impossible for Man,
But one prize is beyond his reach,
The Ogre cannot master Speech:
About a subjugated plain,
Among its desperate and slain,
The Ogre stalks with hands on hips,
While drivel gushes from his lips.

W H Auden

The poem responds to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. The invasion by 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops toppled the reformist regime of Alexander Dubcek, which had ended censorship earlier that year.

In sharing this, I found that I had no categories or tags that adequately covered the content. I am not surprised!

Choose Wisely – Please!

On 03/11/202403/11/2024 By Peter's ponderingIn acrostic, anxiety, autumn, choices, creativity, fear, horror, misogyny, morals, politics, Weekend Writing Prompt, Weekly prompts24 Comments

This is in response to Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt #388 where the given word is DARK, and the word count is 22.

I normally avoid politics but…

Dank, dire, and dreary

Autumnal airs presage the woes that surely will ensue if

Republican maniac somehow manages to triumph over

Kamala!

Sunset

On 05/06/2024 By Peter's ponderingIn #My Music, Army, boys, bravery, community, courage, danger, death, freedom, friends, heroes, history, horror, loss, love, My Music, Remembrance, sadness, Service, ships, Thanks, war, waste, Weekly prompts39 Comments

Over on GC and Sue W’s Weekly Prompts site, the Wednesday Challenge is the word Sunset. I don’t often take part in this challenge but I knew immediately what had to be entered for this one as tomorrow is the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944.

“Sunset”, also known as the “Retreat Call”, is a bugle call played in United Kingdom and British Commonwealth countries to signal the end of the official military day.

Revenge – It’s all in the mind. Or is it?

On 26/11/202226/11/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn acrostic, creativity, crime, death, friends, horror, humour, hurt, Poetry, Weekend Writing Prompt, Weekly prompts28 Comments

This is in response to Sammi Cox’s Weekend Writing Prompt #287 where the given word is REVENGE and the word count is 72.

Admit it, we’ve all thought about it!

Relish the hurt you can bring to Big Ern

Eviscerate slowly he’ll soon get to learn

Vengeance is mine saith the Lord so I’ve heard

Enlightened by this I have read every word

Now my friend Charlie is pulling the strings

Gutting and cutting and such deadly things

Everyone’s better when this beast is killed. I hope you’ll agree and with me will feel thrilled!

The Joys of travelling by rail — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces

On 26/11/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn broken things, Fact, funny, horror, railways, Re posts, toilets, transport26 Comments

John had to travel to London by train. Read his very funny/Not funny at all account of his journey here!

A horrendously overcrowded jam-packed standing-room-only journey by train from Nottingham to London. Somewhat surprised to get an email from East Midlands Railways enquiring if I enjoyed the trip. My reply is below: “What a splendid journey. We found ourselves lodged in the connecting corridor of two carriages, along with many other of your passengers, far…
The Joys of travelling by rail — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces

Content!

On 10/11/202210/11/2022 By Peter's ponderingIn about me, Army, community, death, Fact, family, fear, history, horror, hurt, Insecurity, loss, love, My life, Peace, Personal, philosophy, Poetry, Remembrance, responsibility, sadness, Service, war, wellbeing23 Comments

Tomorrow is Armistice Day and, at this time of year, I always get to thinking about those I have known, and those I never knew, who died, or were affected in any way by war, or in the service of their country and humanity. Service has always included not just military men and women but also the myriad folk who contributed, and continue to contribute, in any way whatsoever. The basic concept of Armistice Day is “Never Again”. The world should not forget that. The sentiment should not be Never Forget, but Always Remember. We have that responsibility.

I tend to get a little maudlin, each year, for a few days over this period and, I suppose, that is what prompted this poem!

Content!

Love sustains me beyond the fears, the insecurity, and the pain;

The very fundamentals of life…and death;

The in between that’s never seen;

The basic structures of existence:

And yet…here I am, uncertain, a little fearful, the beginnings of trepidation

For what?

I know not!

Perhaps it’s always been there. The insecurity, the uncertainty, the pain!

Nevertheless…I like that word…nevertheless I am what I am;

I am who I am;