THE FORTIES

Expected for years, so long awaited, some time before my parents met.

First the phoney war after the declaration when all seemed normal and yet, 

Then they fell, aimed first at cities and ports, both far and near.

One missed the railway station to hit our church, find courage now, not fear.

Call up came to join the R.A.F. and air raid shelters were made.

The short lived hopes for peace soon began to dwindle and fade. 

Though after Dunkirk, a threatening dark cloud loomed high above in the sky,

The cigar smoking wordsmith insisted, don’t surrender, defeat them, we had to try.

Soon we weren’t alone, America became an ally, along with many other nations.    

My big brother born, my mother moved to the country to stay with our relations.

Peace at last, return to normal jobs, to build a different world, one so new,  

Us baby boomers arrived in plenty, little did we realise it was thanks to those  they called the few.

A new government made radical changes to nationalise and introduce our N.H.S.

There was much to do, to recover from destruction to clear up so much mess.  

I was too young then to know too much about this extraordinary decade,

But now I look back and recognise the miracles they performed, this was what our parent’s generation made.