D.A.N’s Little Book Of War Poetry by D.A. Nicholson

Very Sad, Very Powerful

D.A.Ns Little Book Of War Poetry by D.A. Nicholson is absolutely heart breaking and very powerful.

The poems cover the major conflicts since World War I but with a heavy loading set during the war to end all wars.

We hear about the mud, the terror, the gunfire. Under the masterful pen of D.A. Nicholson, the terrible images spring to life as we ‘see’ the desolation of war.

There are a few poems set in Iraq and Vietnam. We hear of the terrible cruelty of the Holocaust. We ‘see’ men being given white feathers and shot for cowardice. We hear of the total futility of war, the terrible loss of lives as men are used for cannon fodder.

All the poems are powerful. The one that really affected me was Bright, Shining Light about the atomic bomb being dropped from Enola Gay. It was accompanied by a drawing of what is now the peace museum. It really shows the futility of war:

“Men, women, and children, getting on with their lives, on this warm summer’s day,

The world changed forever when they dropped the atomic bomb from the Enola Gay.”

Another poem that deeply affected me was called Souls Lost & Found about a man lying on the battlefields for a hundred years before he was found:

“One hundred years have passed by now,

They finally found me, named me, and laid me down to rest.”

The yearning for God and for Heaven comes through many of the poems. Just One Touch was so powerful:

“I hope my God will hear me knocking on Heaven’s door,

The door is now opening, I can see a bright light, and there’s hope once more.”

Father Padre offers peace and comfort:

“Today, young soldier, you will meet the Father and the Son,

You will be in God’s arms this day, at peace now all your fighting’s been done.”

There is nothing that glorifies war. It is all terribly sad. There are no winners, just losers. Mothers on all sides lose husbands, sons, brothers. This is an incredibly powerful book of war poetry. It is one that I shall dip in and out of again and again. Everyone should read it, to remind ourselves of the futility of war. The war to end all wars, didn’t. It seems we are destined to repeat the past as we never learn the lessons from the past.

Thank you D.A. Nicholson for an absolutely marvellous and powerful book of war poetry.

I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own. 

JULIA WILSON

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