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Poems for GI trace

Waited

You have waited for a place in life to stand

For the boy who exists within the man

To give him the roots and help them grow

In a space which he could call his own.

But the boy waited patiently for the day

To ask the stranger "Why didn’t you stay"

To unravel the mystery of his youth

Which started a quest for the honest truth.

So time was spent emotional back tracking

To give him the identity which was sadly lacking

And by amazing luck he found success

And flew the first plane to put his ghosts to rest.

So now the boy can be the man

You hold the place in life to stand

And one thing that should make you glad

Is that now you can call the stranger ‘Dad’

Written For My Very Good Friend

18 May 2001

© Lynne Cordell

For My Father

  

I have never gazed upon your face, Father

Nor known the touch of your strong guiding hand

I have never seen you smile, never seen you weep

I have never seen your face; nor you..mine

I have never seen the sunlight reflected in your eyes

Nor the shadows which fell at close of day

I have never known the peace which you fought for gallantly

I have never seen your face - nor you, mine

I have never trod the earth of your birth land

Nor followed in the furrows that you ploughed

No matter - for our ties of blood flow freely

Across continents and far off distant lands

I have never heard you sing me a lullaby

Nor a soulful, mournful dirge of the blues

I never held your hand in mine

Heard your voice, your final sigh

I never even got to say...goodbye

But most of all, Father, I have never seen your face

I have never, ever gazed upon your face

Monica Roberts

( in memory of Paris Mack 1919 - 1994)

My Handsome GI Daddy

I never met my Daddy

He died when I was small

He never got to hold me

Or even see me crawl

But soon I’m going to meet him

As he lies there in his grave

My handsome GI Daddy

I know you were so brave

I treasure the one photograph

In your uniform-you look so smart

I hold it very frequently

Close-by near my heart

Someday I hope that I will TRACE

My New York ancestry

And then my family jigsaw

Will completely be

Dear Daddy I know you’re watching

To guide me on my way

Please give a sign or just a clue

To really make my day

I’ll stand beside your graveside

And send you lots of  LOVE

Please keep on watching over me

From the Heavens above.

dedicated to “MY HANDSOME GI DADDY”- Sgt. Louis Beldon Lee 1914-1949

Written by Elaine Lee Drury-July 2004

Do We Really Speak The Same Language?

What they know as jelly, we know as jam

While we eat gammon, they’re eating ham

What we know as cockles, they know as clams

Their mothers push strollers, our babes are in prams!!

They pay property taxes, we pay rates

They drive SUVs, we drive Estates

To them we are friends, to us they are mates

They go to Fairs, while we go to Fetes.

They visit the bathroom, we go to the loo

They stand in a line, we wait in a queue

We call it a carpet, they call it a rug

We call 'em insects, to them they're just bugs

Our heads wear caps, whilst they just have hats

They live in apartments,  but we live in flats

We drive old bangers, while they drive old cars

We drink in pubs, while they drink in bars

What we call a twit, they call a goof

While they use hassocks, ours is a pouffe

What they call a girl, we call a lass.

Our cars use petrol, while theirs run on gas

To them she's a Mom, but to us she's a "MUM"

While they have a rear, we have a bum!

They have TVs, while we have tellys

They wear boots and we put on wellies

And finally guys, or should I say lads

Their gallant old GIs, we claim as DADS!!!

WW II Babies, Twas Not Their Intention

by: Loraine Russell Burton

Hush now my little ones

Please don't despair

Hush now my sad ones

Because their daddies are not there.

Never give up the hope

And always try to share

Your hopes and your searches

With those that really care.

Twas not your daddies intention

To leave you all alone

He would have, if he'd known you

His love to you have shown.

Twas not your mother's intention

To lie to you, and lead you wrong

She trusted in the hope

That you'd learn to be strong.

Copyright ©2008 Loraine Russell Burton

From The Heart

by Janette Taylor

I've longed to know my father

the heartaches never end

I've missed his love and comfort

my broken heart he'd mend!

Part of me is missing

part of me is lost

my dad completes the real me

I've found out to my cost.

To have his arms around me

when life is oh so cruel

to know his re-assurance

is worth more than any jewel.

I've never been daddies darling

picked up spun around

and told I love you baby

this love I've never found.

The lucky little children

who have this every day

will never know the heartache

they will never have to say,

Part of me is missing

I'm feeling imcomplete

Oh Lord look after daddy

until the day we meet.

Remembered

Remembered every morning,

That she has gone away.

I did not have the privilege,

To be there on that day.

Our paths in life had parted,

Back in a different time.

The hope we'd be united,

A constant dream of mine.

Every day there is a void,

Where Mother used to be.

For she has gone to God,

But left her memory with me.

I know life's just a journey,

We all must travel through.

But Lord, I miss the Mother,

That I never even knew..…

DJB 2010

For My Mother

Not only have I been unable to trace my G.I. dad but my mother put me up

for adoption and even after I had traced her to L.A in 1985 she refused

to see me or tell me who my father was until shortly before she died.

Even now all I have is a name, George Deters, Pittsburgh PA. The

spelling of deters is questionable as it was a telephone call and when i

asked how it was spelt all i got was "the normal way". I will most

likely find his name on St Peter's roll at the pearly gates....

D J Butler Bristol UK