ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

My Kite

My father left a photograph, a memory from the war
It shows a young man strong and lean, I’d not seen it before
He sits so proudly on his plane, so ready for the fight
In fading pencil on the back it simply says ‘My Kite’

The photograph speaks of the bond between dad and his kite
Each day he’d send his pilot out, and bring him home each night
He looks so calm and confident as he fulfilled that trust
Yet I wonder what he’s thinking, sitting high above the dust

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I sit up on my kite, and think of where I’ve been
From Fitters School to Moratai, and places in-between
New skills that I’ve had to learn, and new mates I call friend
All come together once again to see this to its end

I sit up on my kite, and think of uncles passed
They made the final sacrifice for peace that didn’t last
They lie beneath the poppies in the far off fields of France
Each night I pray it’s not my fate to share that final dance

I sit up on my kite, and think about my mates
Those safely here upon the ground and those for whom we wait
Each day we count the fighters out, to battle brave and tough
Each night we count them in again, too often not enough

I sit up on my kite, and think of things I’ve seen
The madness and the horrors that creep nightly in my dreams
I pray it would all go away, but persevere I must
I tell myself repeatedly, in me my pilots trust.

I sit up on my kite, and dream of days to be
When this war is finally over and my family I will see
I know they’ll want to ask me where I’ve been and what I saw
But there’s little that I’ll tell them, ‘cept to pray there’s no more war
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Dad's Kite

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Campfires, good company and a few beverages under a night sky , it doesnt get any better than that

Hi Trace,
Just loved the sentiment!
Trisha

Thanks Marty

Couldn't work out how to upload it....

Cheers

Trace

I love Dad's great understatements , on the photo below he simply wrote "more of the Japs at Moratai" its actually a shot of the surrender of the Japanese Third Army to Blamey , was where he made his famous speech about the Japanese not being an honorable foe

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Campfires, good company and a few beverages under a night sky , it doesnt get any better than that

Nice work Trace & welcome to ABPA, I loved reading your tribute to your dad.

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To be proven wrong is not an embarrassment or indictment on your character, but, merely one of natures learning curves.
David J Delaney. ©

Hello David,

Thanks for the words re Dad, and also Felix. To lose both in the last 6 months or so has left quite a hole in life. Penning some words about them both helps fill it.

I reckon the sharing of sentiment on this forum is a great thing!

Regards

Trace