The Longest Day

The Longest Day

A break in the weather, and it began
The long awaited D-Day landings plan
Ships, air cover, landing craft, to beach
And there to fight, to make a breach
But they persevered, the invasion begun
By dawns early light, to the setting sun
Normandy sands, running red with blood
Machine guns, shells impact, endless thud
Relentless on and on in the day it went
And so many lives lost, so many spent
But they persevered, on that longest day
Little realising what others would say
So many years later, looking back in time
The photographs, tired faces, and the grime
Those who survived, battled scars memory
Those who perished that others be free
Thinking of the moment, the task to be done
Each sacrifice for the greater victory to be won
Troops on the beach, against fortress walls
The bugle sounds a note, the enemy falls
And Normandy taken, by hedgerow and field
But they persevered, they would not yield
In the aftermath, they counted the dead
When Germans troops surrendered or fled
The battle moved on, just birdsong to hear
And we mourn the dead, sacrifice dear
And silence came, where battle did rage
They shall not grow old, they shall not age
And the graves were set out, line after line
And of no greater love, surely the sign.