Donations are essential to keep Write Out Loud going    

Le Treport

It seemed like another of my mother’s

mad missions. We left at the crack of dawn,

caught a snorting steam engine

at Boulogne, the like I’d never seen before,

cleaned our teeth under a tap

on the platform at Abbeville.

Boarded another train for Le Treport,

a train that stopped everywhere.

 

The taxi driver said: ‘Which cemetery?

There are two.’ We struck lucky, found

the grave of mum’s grandfather

at Mount Huon, south of the coastal town,

in three-quarters of an hour.  Francis Treble.

Company sergeant major, Royal Engineers,

17 October 1917. He died before

she was born, on a Wednesday, aged 51.

 

Back then I had no thought of what it meant,

or who he was. Le Treport, north-east

of Dieppe, had been a hospital centre.

Three cheers for mum’s determination.

She took a photo, in her eagerness

another one on top of it. We rushed back

to the station. When they came back

from Boots you couldn’t quite read the inscription.

 

 

◄ Brexit Boy

The Sambre canal, November 4 1918 ►

Comments

Profile image

Greg Freeman

Wed 12th Sep 2018 08:01

Many thanks for your generous comments, Taylor, David, and Ray. I was moved to write this poem earlier this year after being invited to take part in a Remembrance Day event in Twickenham as part of the Richmond literature festival. Sunday November 11 also marks the centenary of the end of the first world war. I'm very happy to be involved in something on the actual day, and in that way to be paying tribute to my great-grandfather - and my mum, too. This poem didn't make the final cut for the event, so I thought I'd share it here.

Profile image

raypool

Tue 11th Sep 2018 21:49

A wonderful slice of real life Greg; you breathe so much into your work, and as David has said this has great resonance. A connection with the past is so important in a family context. When my mum passed I took it on myself to find out about her past - a tricky task but a rewarding one in many ways.

I hope this can be read at an appropriate time this year.

Ray

Profile image

Taylor Crowshaw

Tue 11th Sep 2018 12:33

Excellent poem and tribute to your mum and her determination..?

If you wish to post a comment you must login.

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Find out more Hide this message