For Those Who Fought and Died

                                                With My Grandfather

                                           

 

In Memory of Henry Friend Russell

                      Killed in France, May 23rd, 1918


much loved grape vines pendant with purple fruit
hands reaching to harvest through fragrant air
reaching two meters down those long rows root
vines heavy with palpable pinot noir

savoring sweet juice plucked for first pressing

for champagne pinot gris battlefields not far

daylight starlight touching forgotten names
arms out stretched forever upwards
never reaching sunlight feeling moonlight
all babies nursed once at a mother's breast
war dead in Alsace war dead at Verdun
roots fed by lives lost where trenches were run

Copyright © Dick Russell

Richard Michael Friend Russell
              2018