The Memorial - Bexhill on Sea 09/11/2008

Down at the promenade on Remembrance Sunday For the open air service of thoughts and prayers The English Channel, a reminder, a memory, For many; for me - a sea of history. And in my thoughts, I ask curiously; Does the sea know, it saved us from the invading footfall Does it know it carried men to war and boys to serve Does it know it rescued the trapped from Dunkirk And does it know that its storms drowned others. Does the sea know, it swallowed planes whole Does it know submarines lurked in its depth Does it know that mines floated on its buoyancy And does it know, they wrecked many a ship. Does it know, that it brought the boys home Does it know they shed salty tears in its wake Does it know a welcome lined its English shore And does it know a people's gratitude. Hark, speaks the whistling wind The answer you seek is yes For the sea and I are united In our remembrance of the past. With all the wreaths in place I turned for home, content; That the sea, the wind and I, Had shown our joint respect.