THE BUTTON

  THE BUTTON                  TIM WILLIAMS                NOVEMBER 2014

SUNLIGHT FLASHES , CAUGHT AND REFLECTED 
OFF A BRASS BUTTON, LIKE AN EXPLOSION
IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE, A JACKET BEING FOLDED
AND PILED UP WITH OTHERS ALL IDENTICAL
BUT INDIVIDUAL, SOME JUST IN SIZE.

A BOY WANTING TO BE TAKEN AS A MAN
LINES UP, SIGNS HIS NAME , AND IN SOME CASES
LIES ABOUT HIS AGE, 
" AGE ! ",  " 18 SIR " COMES A WAVERING REPLY,
A GLANCE, A KNOWING LOOK ," THEN SIGN HERE".

THE FOLDED STACKED TOGETHER JACKET
IS PRESENTED WITH OTHER KIT,
AGAIN THE BUTTON FLASHES IN THE SUNLIGHT
AS IT IS PASSED FROM OLD HAND TO YOUNG HAND,
JACKET AND BOY NOW ONE, EXCEPTED, A SIGH OF RELIEF

THE BRASS BUTTON IS NOW DULLED
NO MORE FLASHING IN THE SUNLIGHT,
IN THE TRENCHES OF FRANCE IT WOULD
MAKE A FINE YOUNG TARGET,
LIKE A MATCH IN THE DARKNESS, BANG , GONE.

TIME HAS FLOWN, MEMORIES FADE ,
MY GRANFATHER HAS NOW PASSED ON,
THE BRASS BUTTON , NOW ALL SHINING AGAIN,                                                                          
IN MY HAND IT SITS AND MY THOUGHTS
GO OUT 100 YEARS ON " WE WILL REMEMBER THEM "
AND I WEAR MY POPPY WITH PRIDE.