Category Archives: courage

Lost Gardeners

Posted on 21 March, 2020 by PoetJanstie

There was such hustle and bustle where now reflective calm. In the thunderbox room nearby the melon yard haunting echoes of silent voices once green fingers that pressed a trigger for King and country, gently call from an early grave, … Continue reading →

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Posted in conservation, courage, Death, Elegy, Free Verse, green, History, Hope, Love, melancholy, nature, nostalgia, poetry, War | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Major

Posted on 18 June, 2015 by PoetJanstie

On the night before the battle,
a letter to his wife still wets the eyes
and we shed tears two hundred years on. Continue reading →

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Posted in courage, Death, family, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hearts of Oak

Posted on 11 November, 2012 by PoetJanstie

In all that’s written of this day I will say only this: for every single life that’s lost hereafter may be bliss, but not the kind of bliss that you can feel of heavenly truth, those dreamy summer days that … Continue reading →

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Posted in Ballad, courage, Fear, Heroes, Injury, Love, melancholy, poem, poetry, sadness, War | 13 Comments

An Ekphrastic Experience…

Posted on 25 September, 2012 by PoetJanstie

If this is Ekphrastic, which I’ve heard recently described as one of the ugliest words in the English language, then what follows is the complete irony. It also demonstrates what little fodder poets need to inspire them to feats of … Continue reading →

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Posted in animals, Collaboration, courage, Heroes, Hope, Injury, Love, melancholy, nostalgia, poem, poetry, sadness, War, Wonder | 5 Comments

The Poppy

Posted on 11 November, 2011 by PoetJanstie

When I see a poppy I see the symbol of something that it’s easy to forget; not a logo, a stripe or a statement of rank. It’s neither corporate image nor party colour, nor crucifix. It is not even… …a … Continue reading →

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Posted in courage, family, Free Verse, Heroes, Hope, poem, poetry, political, Preachy, Religious, sadness, War | 7 Comments

Looking South

Posted on 27 September, 2011 by PoetJanstie

If you stand in the wind and allow it to bend you so you flex and withstand it, don’t let it uproot you, then you’ll find it can’t hurt you in spite of extraordinary pain. If your instinct for flight … Continue reading →

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Posted in courage, experience, Heroes, Hope, Injury, poem, poetry, War | 5 Comments

Twenty Nine

Posted on 15 August, 2011 by PoetJanstie

It Started It is just twenty-nine short years ago, a conflict over sovereign soil; a war we had been forced to join, and what is more we knew him through his brother. So we know how close we were to … Continue reading →

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Posted in age, courage, Heroes, Hope, melancholy, poem, poetry, sadness, story, War | Tagged , , | 21 Comments

Real Heroes

Posted on 5 April, 2011 by PoetJanstie

(the plastic coated deceit of 20th/21st century life) Who are the real heroes and people of true courage? Find out in this blog post… … and in this poem.

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Posted in courage, experience, Heroes, Prose, story, War | 1 Comment