The Brylcreemed young man
In RAF blue, looking up proudly
From folded newsprint;
He made it to ninety seven,
He was always lucky.
But time has taken its toll
On the family of a warrior
Who survived ‘hell ships’
And Hiroshima. None
Able to attend his funeral
In rainy North Wales.
Still a standard bearer
Will be present
And the local paper
Has appealed for support
To give a hero the send off
He deserves.
Jim didn't say much
About the war,
So we only know a little;
One visitor to his home
Remembers model planes
Hanging from the ceiling.
© David Subacchi
David Subacchi lives in Wales (UK) where he was born of Italian roots. He studied at the University of Liverpool and has 4 published collections of his English Language poetry: First Cut (2012), Hiding in Shadows (2014), Not Really a Stranger (2016) and A Terrible Beauty (2016) as well as a collection in Welsh: Eglwys Yng Nghremona (2016).
