The Photographic Album of the Mind

I. Early Memories and Innocence

There is a photographic album in my mind spanning many years, That keeps alive the faces of those for whom we shed our tears.

It travels back to boyhood days when of diphtheria we were beware, When that innocent child departed—the one with flowing Saxon hair.

Then that old grey-haired person died when I was very small; They had thought she would live forever until she had her fall. When adulthood came our way, the "Old Man called the Reaper" took my grandparents away. But if I ever lived to be a hundred, no one else can fill that place: The bowing back, the silver hair, the wrinkled hand and face.

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II. The Toll of War

Then there were those young friends whose mental photos belonged to me, And remind me of the far-off day in their disaster out at sea.

• Young Ernie: Happy and proud in a sailor's uniform of blue. The war with its Russian Convoys took him and all his crew.

• Young Reg: Who chose the khaki, and across the seas did go. The Battle of Cassino was the place he received his fatal blow.

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III. The Loss of Parents

Then came that fateful day—a memory I try to smother: The heartache when they told me that I'd lost my dear old mother.

But I was lucky; Dad struggled on, eating years and clamouring for more, Until suddenly it ended—he had reached the age of 84.

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IV. Acceptance and Gratitude

Now I too am getting older. I accept and show no rage, As other photos come much quicker to fill another page.

Each photo is developed through the tears, And it's not quite so hard to take if they've had their share of years. Each one has brought me joy, their love and friendship glad to find, And I have shared all my emotions with those pictures in my mind.

Now as my memory recalls each one, I feel happy just to say: How very grateful I humbly feel that they had passed my way.

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Why this belongs in the Archive

This poem is a vital piece of social history. It documents the transition from the fear of childhood diseases like diphtheria to the global trauma of WWII. It perfectly captures the spirit of your blog—preserving the faces and stories of those who might otherwise be forgotten.

The mention of the Battle of Monte Cassino is particularly poignant, as it was one of the most brutal campaigns for Allied soldiers.