brindafella
Looking at life... from an oblique angle / and I sometimes Twitter (normally only when riled up): @brindafella

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Mood:
Contemplative

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The 11th Hour

In my part of the world we have just observed the remembrance of "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month".

The Ode of Remembrance ("For the Fallen") was read aloud across the public address system.

I have to say that this was less moving for me than what happened earlier in the day as I drove to work. On the car radio I heard a playing of the song "The Green Fields of France" (words by the Irish folk band "The Furey Brothers" ("Furey Bruther"), adapted from the original song lyrics by Eric Bogle titled variously "No Man's Land" or "Green Fields of France".) [Version with words and chords for guitar]

Please:
(1) take a moment to review the words;
(2) take a further moment to contemplate what is happening for other 'private' soldiers today.

If you need a further pointer, there was a particularly apt cartoonin the Sydney Morning Herald this week: It showed an American soldier (left) facing a town (right), with several dead fighters (bottom-right; blood obvious). Above the soldier was an identification saying "Born Again"; above the dead fighters was "Dead Again".

Of course, Eric Bogle also wrote "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", seen at that link with the other difinitive Australian anti-Vietnam War song, "I was only 19" (by John Schumann of "Redgum" fame).
_____
Peter


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