70th Anniversary of D-Day and Sun Has Not Set

            70th ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAY AND  SUN HAS NOT SET

It has been 70 years since on a June day, the Channel was once again breached

Both from the air in morning night and by thousands on heaving Higgins seeking the beach

Not a mere raid with more Canadian bodies to leave on the rocks in bloody retreat

But five divisions to land at the Atlantic Wall as a final step in Hitler’s defeat

Our warriors of D-Day are today in the last days of winter’s coming grip

Thick glasses, artificial joints, with walkers or canes walking slowly to not fall or slip

The horror of all horrors to assault a well defended, waiting  beach

Not knowing whether this would be the morning that the evening you would not reach

For over four years the Germans had the time to a deadly welcome prepare

A host of 88’s and “buzz saws” to hurl against khakis bare

Mines by the millions to rip the Higgins and gliders apart

Green seasick faces now climbing down the nets to depart

When the dust had cleared and fighting ended late, late at night

Almost 5,000 young men were laid low by the Dark Boatman’s fatal bite.

Never again no matter what is mankind’s military course

Will we ever see such a gathering of men and armada force

But heroes we will as a nation continue to breed!

Forces of terror should listen and so take heed!

The genes that climbed the Pointe du Hoc’s vertical cliffs

Or Dutch Cota armed with an unlit cigar giving his troops a lift

Or the All Americans landing in Ste. Mere Eglise spires

Or the destroyers almost ashore point blank at the pill boxes fire

Still run deep in the generations from those warriors of June 6, 1944

Joined now by women and all with courage and brains to settle any score

We have been blessed with the warriors and heroes of that day

The forces of evil in Europe finally stopped and held at bay

More so we are still blessed that their spirits still live

In the hearts of those in uniform today a final sacrifice prepared to give

The shadows of sunlight may in the afternoon set on the white tombstones

Of the over 9,000 Americans who from Normandy  never made it back home

The Sun on the British Empire may after many years now daily sets

But on these American forces today against the evil terrors, the shadows are nowhere near yet.                                     

                                                   ©    June 5, 2014

                          Michael P. Ridley aka The Alaskanpoet