Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
I am travelling again this week, so have very limited time.
But, given today’s date, and the poignant photo by J Hardy Carroll, I felt I wanted to contribute.
This is a piece previously posted on another of my blogs.
It is overly long for this challenge.
And it is not fiction.
So I understand absolutely if any reader chooses to ignore it.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
Copyright J Hardy Carroll
The Great Peace
The pain surprises me.
The rain falls steadily, but is not the cause of the pain.
The wind blows briskly, but is not the cause of the pain.
I look around the small, tranquil cemetery, one out of around 940 in France and Belgium.
It is the cause of my pain.
It contains the graves of 1262 British, 4 Canadian and 29 German soldiers and airmen.
There is no segregation by rank or nationality, and each grave is immaculately tended.
They are arranged in chronological order of death.
The peace is in sharp contrast to those bloody days 100 years ago.
The days when this part of Northern France was the world’s battlefield, bringing men from all parts of the planet to die here.
The Great War.
I almost smile at the oxymoron.
But find I cannot.
Because of the tears in my eyes and the lump in my throat.
the unknown soldier by c e ayr
Lovely tribute to the soldiers, known and unknown, who died in WWI. I think it was called the Great War because no one could believe there would be another one like it. It was that terrible. It’s so hard to imagine these soldiers climbing out of trenches right into the enemy fire. No wonder so many died. They were also poisoned by gas, another horrible weapon in use at the time. It’s no wonder tears still come to our eyes thinking of it and other wars. Well written C.E. — Suzanne
Thank you, Patricia.
Nothing else to say.
Beautiful, moving, and so true. Adds to the lump in my throat.
Thank you, GaH.
And sorry about the lump.
My childish heart still aches for the reality of this story, and the long dead wish that something will changed. After yesterday, it all feels so bleak. So many graves, C. E. and so little change. Nothing great about it.
We are in total agreement, Dawn.
Not much more to say, except thank you.
Such sights as you describe so poignantly in your piece serve to remind us of the depths to which the human race can sink. We should all cry.
And continues to sink even lower.
Thank you, Margaret
Sad that he stays unknown. Hope he found peace, that unknown soldier, and his family too.
Leo @ I Rhyme Without Reason
I share your hopes.
Thank you.
A beautiful tribute!
C. I think you could delete both of these “. . .but is not the cause of the pain.” & even the sentence “It is the cause of my pain.”
Let the story say it without saying it, because your last sentence really says it all!
Either way it’s lovely!
My apologies, I saw the C and assumed you were part of the Critique group. Bad eye sight.
No worries, Yolanda.
Thank you.
You are right there is no “Great War.” They all leave scars which refuse to heal. Someday though I believe we shall all beat our swords into plowshares.
Thank you, Joseph, but I do not share your optimism
Sometimes I don’t even share my optimism. You hit me on a good day. 🙂
Beautifully done. The war to end all wars. Never going to be true.
Thank you, Perry
I agree with What’s-her-name. Here in the states a lot is made of the American (un)Civil War and WWII, but very little about “The Great War.” I did watch a documentary on it recently and found it very eye opening. Trench warfare, mustard gas, and disease. And 30 years later and the players came back for a sequel. How insane.
21 years from end of WWI to beginning of WWII.
Insane, stupid and tragic.
What brings a lump to me throat is the youth of the fallen.
What brings a lump to my throat is the age of the fallen. So young.
A terrible waste indeed.
very nice tribute.
Thank you
Beautifully done, a very touching tribute.
Thank you
Very moving and appropriate. Those cemeteries in France certainly are sobering and I’m saddened that this war to end all wars didn’t achieve what those brave people who fought had hoped for.
Thank you, Irene
Everyone else has hit the fine points of this piece so just let me say “Beautiful.” Oh, and Thank you.
And thank you, Alicia.
I like the idea of their being no distinctions among the fallen. War after all is started by governments but littered with the souls of individual sons, sisters, brothers and fathers. It’s difficult to remember that at times. Thank you.
Tracey
I thank you, Tracey.
Nothing is forms lumps in the throat like an unmarked grave…never knowing where your loved one rests can be the ultimate torture that war perpetuates. Beautifully written.
Agreed.
Thank you.
You captured exactly my reaction while visiting a war cemetery in Belguim so many years ago … a sea of white crosses.
This was very powerfully written and triggered those memories from so long ago.
Thank you
Very nicely done. I will read it several times more throughout the day. It’s worth many reads.
Thank you, Corina
Very touching and poignant. It makes me pause to think and reflect as I should. Brilliantly written.
Thank you
Thanks for writing this.
Thank you for reading it, Dawn
This is a very emotive piece. The words ‘known to God’ will stay on my mind.
Thank you.
Some pieces write themselves.
Powerful stuff ceayr.
Thank you
A wonderful Tribute. My father lies somewhere in the jungles of Vietnam to this day. Someday, maybe he will come home.
Thank you.
My thoughts are with you.
Moving piece. Lest we forget – that war and those waging today.
Thank you, Patrick
Beautifully written. I hate to think of how many graves bear no names.
Oh? Did you go over? Like the others, I noticed not.
Thank you, Dale
Like you probably, we regularly drive through the battlefields, cemeteries and war memorials of Northern France. It seems to me that every town and village, no matter how small has some kind of memorial to the fallen. Is it my imagination that so much more is made of remembrance in France? Beautifully done – I can identify with the sentiments.
Thank you, Sandra.
Today is not a good day for this conversation.
This is so moving. I didn’t notice the length – I was too wrapped up in your words.
Thank you
The war to end wars. Ironic, isn’t it?
It is quite pathetic, Mick
Dear CE,
Overly long? Not that I noticed. Appropriate for the prompt. With a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye I say well done. Safe travels, my friend.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you