Poems for Peace Competition: read Felix Stokes's Highly Commended poem.

the poetry is in the pity.

war and the pity of war and the pity of war and the pity

(oh god let him come home alive
or let me never live again),ringing
in his ears, he
swallows.

iron turns to
burgundy
and blood blocks
the sun upon
the blade,

a father’s love
burns for
another father’s son

(an ardent child,snuffed
by smoke
and choking
on the life
inside his breath,

the sand becomes alive
and dies again between
the hero’s shifting fingers.)

he’s a flower,
purple, his tearful
father rushes
to avenge,

and countless sons fall.

duty drives his hand
that drives his blade
that drives the point
into a son who saves
his father(all in vain,

of course. the war will end,
but not before the battle.)

his son is in the son
that’s in his blade,
(he blinked. the world
collapsed upon the world,)

memories and realities each fade,
and grief is mixed with ice and frost and chills.

his numbness is the peace which warring spills.

Felix Stokes
18 years old
Dr Challoner’s High School, Buckinghamshire