Echoes from the past; Poems for the future

In 2010 we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands by the allied forces, among them the Canadian troops. Echoes aimes at the creation of awareness on the second World War as a ‘never ending story’ on freedom and democracy. A project linking the memories of the past with the hopes of the fu- ture, a digital gift to a generation that risked their lives and sacrificed their innocence for the freedom of others.

In September 2009 Mr. Maurits Kamman, history teacher, initiated the start of the Echoes 2 project, connecting past, present and future on “war and liberation” in learning. Together with the ICT-coordinator Marc Vreeswijk and Bob Hofman (the Global Teenager Project) it was discussed how to link History to Language and Literature. At the start of the two Learning Circles with 10 schools from Canada, 10 schools from The Netherlands and 1 school from Spain, the motto of Echoes 2 was created: `Echoes from the past; Poems for the future’

Using ICT’s to build international cross curricular bridges and connecting stu- dents to war veterans. Researching the actual situation in 2010 in Canada, The Netherlands and Afghanistan and the creation of poems to express the students’ hope and dreams for the future. This booklet contains 171 poems out of the hun- dreds that were created by our students, a tribute to those who in the past, the present and the future contributed to our freedom.

Bob Hofman and Eliane Metni, Global Teenager Project coordinators. Lyceum Oudehoven, Gorinchem, The Netherlands Lars Verweij stand, andwithhonour die. My worriesyetincrease. To warIwouldventure, I’d fightforadventure, I shouldgoandstand, and gofighttheflames. They expectmetonod, is whattheyallcry. I’d fightformyland, it’d belikeadream. If onlyIcouldstay. that’s whattheysay, the preacherclaims. I’d fightforpeace, so itwouldseem. I’d fightforGod,

can gohometohouse andfarm. though withbloodedhands. Threats nolonger stand, delivered itfrom harm. I foughtforadventure, from BelgiumtoGreece, the deadcannotpray. I foughtformyland, Still Ididventure, peace didnotfall. I foughtforpeace. Brought ittoall, I foughtforGod, saw manylands. still it’sodd, or sotheysay,

Canadian Help Canadian What was the whole point? What was the Pride, glory, and freedom There was no other choice One of them was unemployment One of them Were some of the other reasons Now Europe is going to be saved is going Now Europe the Canadians join? But why did There were several reasons for that There were several of the Commonwealth Canada was part no choice but to fight So Canada had The Canadian army is coming to help is coming to army The Canadian We’re grateful for the Canadian help We’re grateful for the Canadian They wanted to fight for their country They wanted want violence Even though they didn’t Canadians also were craving for independence Canadians also were craving

Some of the people did not want to go to school people did not want to go Some of the

Mascha Dovgun Mascha Lyceum Oudehoven, Gorinchem, The Netherlands The Gorinchem, Oudehoven, Lyceum

Lyceum Oudehoven, Gorinchem, The Netherlands Anonymous

So that we people could be free So that we people could And live in a peaceful territory They all had in mind one single thought They all had Were all confronted with death and gore with death confronted Were all All the Canadian boys who joined the war who joined Canadian boys All the And that is that they fought for our joys And that is that they fought These men wanted to show that they were brave to show that they were These men wanted The courage they had and their lives they gave they had and their lives The courage And that was to liberate us, for whom they fought to liberate us, for whom And that was Thought that they could bring a change over there they could bring a change Thought that would bear in mind the burden they And never kept At least there is one thing we learned from these boys At least there is one thing seen it Changed in time Changed Days come and go, My chance is taken, My chance is Just like the sun and snow Never saw how beautiful the world was Never saw how hours Waiting here all those mindless My world changed in just a view seconds My world changed Until I see my old, trusted world again. Until I see my old, trusted I would have seen it when my world changed I would have seen it when Sitting here lonely, seconds minutes passing lonely, seconds minutes Sitting here Changed from enormous into just a view meters enormous into just a view Changed from Now I can only dream of the places I’ll never see dream of the places I’ll Now I can only

Thinking of the world I’ll never see again like I’ve the world I’ll never see Thinking of

Lisa & Cheryll & Lisa Lorentz Lyceum, Arnhem, The Netherlands The Arnhem, Lyceum, Lorentz

Lyceum Oudehoven, Gorinchem, The Netherlands Wouter Slits

War Of mothers and wives Of mothers and Everything is burning. With interrupted lives. With interrupted Think of all the children Think of all Of fathers, sons, and husbands Of fathers, After a while, peace is returning After a while, peace is Someone cries, while another dies. Someone cries, Peace So many times heard So many times To many times heard Peace is just a word Peace is just Every person is equal Peace… is just a word The world would be prettier The world would Black and white, poor and rich Black and white, poor and There is still war and violence There is still No more fighting or difference between No more fighting Where a humans life doesn’t count anymore Where a humans

If the people will live peaceful with each other will live peaceful with If the people

Sophie & Merel & Sophie Lorentz Lyceum, Arnhem, The Netherlands The Arnhem, Lyceum, Lorentz

Lorentz Lyceum, Arnhem, The Netherlands Koen & Arjana

War of someone. War, war, war, decision before. When war is finally over, People live, people die, live, people People You see your friends die, You see your It wasn’t as it was before. It makes your country poor. It makes your Sometimes, you don’t know why. you don’t Sometimes, Every second can be your last one, Every second But you don’t have the time to cry. But you don’t Mothers with children, who can’t see each other back anymore, Mothers with children, who That will be in the back of your mind when you stand in front when you stand in front in the back of your mind That will be All the time, they think about it that they had to make another All the time, they think That’s war That’s No one is proud That’s called war When war breaks out When war breaks Bombs and bullets flying Bombs and bullets At the end it’s all useless But no one really understand But no one really It’s getting worse then before It’s getting Everyone waiting for surrender War is just a big time spender People dying and children crying People dying got to deal with it Everyone has Innocent people and they get split Innocent people Soldiers fighting for their fatherland Soldiers fighting

And everyone is fed up by the war process And everyone is fed up by

Kelly & Sander & Kelly Lorentz Lyceum, Arnhem, The Netherlands The Arnhem, Lyceum, Lorentz

Lorentz Lyceum, Arnhem, The Netherlands Dalanyo & Wencke How would you feel? How would feel? How would you you will be lock up again. you will be But you can’t trust nobody. But you can’t Because before you even know, Because before even survive it, A war if you up. Then you’re really locked There will be lock on your heart, There will be lock on your And you are afraid of everything. When you think you are finally free, When you think When you have to live in fear all day, in fear have to live When you Will always be locked up inside of you. Will always be locked up You think that there is no reason to live. You think that there is That you would be killed, just because you’re different. because you’re killed, just would be That you It’s war But it isn’t. It’s war. But it isn’t. But they won’t. It’s war But they won’t. But they can’t. It’s war. Some people like to shoot. Some people Young people like to go out. Young people like to go Most people hope the war is over. Most people want to stop the war. Most people But that’s not possible. It’s war. But that’s not You have to listen. Because it’s war You have to listen. Because

There is a small group who can stop the war. group who can stop There is a small

Anne-Lot Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Aniek War remember that day, I remember that I heard shots in my head, I heard shots dead people on the ground. they won’t come back NEVER. they won’t come looked around, everywhere I In the night I saw the dead, In the night when I heard shots and said, when I heard my parents have gone forever, my parents have for me the sun will never shine. for me the sun will never Now I’m scared for the rest of my time, Now I’m scared for the rest My hero My dad the hero. dad. but left my all from the gas. all from the Coming back as a hero, Coming back but always turned back. but always turned Yes, that’s what he was. Yes, that’s people, Saved a thousand Backed off by the attack, Backed off by Should be happy and smiling, should put my chin up and say: should put my chin up and

Not telling, he couldn’t save himself. Not telling, he couldn’t

”My dad the hero, saved a thousand man.” ”My dad the hero, saved

Christy Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Carolien Work camp I saw her cry, she didn’t want to die I saw her cry, When we finally arrived, some people died When we finally arrived, But now the time was here, the time of fear time was here, the time But now the We stepped in the wagon, a new life had begun We stepped in the wagon, We thought the same, don’t step in that train same, don’t step in that We thought the fun started to run, and making We should have Life won’t get better when you receive the letter better when you receive Life won’t get Everyone was thirsty in the train, I wish it had started to rain Everyone was thirsty in Because… Child soldier. back to his home. back to his A gun on his back, A gun on his killed his father. His life is destroyed. He can never come back, He can never Now his life is destroyed Now his life He has to be a child soldier.

Because he has killed his father. Because he has

Heleen Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Coen The Fuhrer Nobody knows the answer. Nobody knows the answer. Nobody knows Nobody knows the answer. Why is the Fuhrer so powerful? Why is the Fuhrer begin a new war? begin a new Why doesGermany himself? Why did the Fuhrer kill Why does the Fuhrer kill the Jews? Why does the Why are the people so scared of him? Why are the hate all there neighbours? hate all there Why do they War and make people free But most of the time, War is war and no peace War is war and War is war and no peace War is death and no life War is death Weapons that kill people, Weapons that War is the sound of weapons War is the sound But also weapons that protect, But also weapons

And weapons that make people scared And weapons

Jelmer Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Jasmijn Childsoldiers This camp isn’t as usual This camp isn’t as usual This camp isn’t There are left over bullets There are left They’ve seen killing and death They’ve seen killing and us They are capable of killing Ammunition, wars, like toy games Ammunition, It’s chilly and cold in this camp It’s chilly There are children, very young children There are children, Their eyes tell silent stories, they look nervous silent stories, they Their eyes tell

For nothing... they are used a lot. they are used Why are people fighting? Why are So why are people fighting? So why are people fighting? But why are people fighting? are people But why people fighting? But why are people fighting? But why are people fighting? But why are there aren’t enough nurses. Bombs, guns, tanks, rockets, Bombs, guns, people will die unnecessary. Hospitals became over populated, There are many wars in the world. are many wars There The reasons for war don’t make sense, The reasons for war don’t You weren’t welcome in another country, You weren’t they are scared to lose family and friends. they are scared People were killed, poisoned or die of starvation, killed, poisoned or die People were

you were killed because you have a different religion. because you have a different you were killed

Linde Staarink Linde Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Kira PEACE ? PEACE War or PEACE? War or , it sounds so easy... in the whole world. in the whole world. in the whole world. in the whole in the whole world. , why is there no in the whole world. in the whole world. in the whole in the whole world.. in the whole PEACE PEACE War is a nightmare, it’s awful War is a nightmare, other? Why should we kill each Dead bodies, shots, guns everywhere shots, Dead bodies, their family is gone Crying people, Nobody wants war, everybody wants Nobody wants war, everybody Hiding into cellars, discovered and you’re gone cellars, discovered and Hiding into Fights, soldiers, child soldiers, tanks and planes child soldiers, tanks Fights, soldiers, Fighting for freedom Fighting for Is that what we want? A lot of fear and worries A lot of fear The suffering is too much Bombs destroying entire cities Bombs destroying Fighting for freedom, a lot of injured people Fighting for freedom, a Go into hiding and being attacked by the Nazi’s and being attacked by Go into hiding the ground in the air and tanks on Many bombers German soldiers fighting everything they encounter fighting everything German soldiers

Jews transported to concentration camps across Europe to concentration camps Jews transported

Loes Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Linde Vrerink Destination unknown Destination Time to think about Through broken streets Through broken Day and night, always in fear Day and night, Without your father, without land Without your how small you are And no one sees If there would never be a tomorrow If there would You walk helpless at your mother’s hand You walk helpless What you would do if there would be never a tomorrow again What you would do if there Gays were killed. Nobody can say it Nobody Everybody knows it. Everybody knows Jews were the victims. Jews were the hiding. Jews went into Hitler was a dictator. Canadians liberated us. Canadians liberated Gays were discriminated. ‘There are no words for’ no words are ‘There Canadians are our heroes. Canadians are Nobody can understand it. can understand Nobody Everybody thinks it is awful Everybody thinks Hitler is a horrible person. The second world war was an awful time. The second world war was

The second world war will always be remembered. The second world war will

Mariël Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Maddie Now, I’m old to a safe place. in this time of war. in this time The war was starting The war but I had to be strong but I had to I heard a lot of noise I heard My life in times of war times life in My that I have experienced. Now, seventy years later, I can’t describe the fear They would help us in WWII. They would help I was afraid and I would cry I was afraid We went to Auschwitz by train. We went to Auschwitz by we got into our car to go away into our car we got then I heard my father’s voice. heard my father’s then I I’m a healthy and a happy woman. I’m a healthy and a happy The German soldiers arrested us. The German soldiers I have never seen my parents again. I have never seen my parents We went into hiding by Dutch people. We went into Sunday morning 25th April 1944 was a nightmare. 25th April 1944 was a Sunday morning Wars for ever the desire to have power. the desire to Will the humanity live long? Will the humanity All those people being killed, All those people With all those wars in this world. With all those innocent people on your conscience? innocent people on your All that anger, the dying for revenge, All that anger, What is the fun about having the dead of What is the fun about having that can’t be the purpose of the humanity, can it? the purpose of the humanity, that can’t be

Has there ever been a time were people weren’t fighting. Has there ever been a time

Merlyse Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Maud I know Freedom Pray to God Nothing left Hiding for pain A chilly world, Everything away, God will help me, Have to surrender, Woke up in freedom Alone in the dark, Alone in the Looking for freedom, Looking mother No father, no But suddenly the shot, Everything turned dark After a long time I woke up, After a long time I woke world has been destroyed The world has been People suffer Bodies everywhere Many soldiers died Many soldiers ‘We were soldiers’ ‘We were We were undefeatable Fighting for freedom But we didn’t give up But we didn’t We did what we had to do We did what We showed them what war is We showed them what war Betrayed by some of our own Betrayed by We crushed them into the ground We crushed them We proved that we were soldiers 1000 Americans VS 10000 Vietnamese 1000 Americans VS 10000

Vietnamese soldiers all over the place Vietnamese soldiers

Rob Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Rick

Why, why, why? Why, why, Why is there war Why are people killed USA are fighting terror USA are fighting Allied forces liberate Allied forces the world Step by step Terror, why is this war Terror, why Good guys are ending war Jewish people were killed people were Jewish Step by step, for the world Step by step, for the world Billions of people are afraid Billions of Billions of people are afraid Billions of people are afraid Billions of World War II, why was this war War II, why World Americans, Canadians people are killed Americans, Canadians War On 7. June On 7. June waves with blood waves are rolling in waves are rolling waves are rolling in waves with death and suffer waves with death

waves with destruction, and dead people everywhere and dead people waves with destruction, a free Europe the allies paid for That’s the price

Stef Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands The Almelo, Canisius, St.- Sg.

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Sophie Freedom Who does know what is freedom? Who does know who are hiding. Not the people what is freedom? Who does know Who does know what is freedom? Who does know what is freedom? Who does know Not the people who live in war. Not the people Freedom, it means more than you think. Freedom, it means more than Not the people who are fighting for their lives. Not the people who are fighting Not the people who are imprisoned in a concentration camp. who are imprisoned in Not the people ‘The misunderstanding war’ ‘The misunderstanding Soldiers almost never let tears Soldiers almost I see a soldier gasping for help a soldier gasping I see These are what soldiers the most fear These are what soldiers Let’s end this war for once an for all Let’s end this war for once Many years have gone by and still no peace gone by and still no Many years have will always fall Sooner or later some side Although there minds are stuffed with fears minds are stuffed with Although there And still at the homefront they have no clue the homefront they have And still at Trenches and machine guns is the new life here Trenches and machine guns which will soon be To this mustard gas attacks Maybe someone had got to give them another view Maybe someone had got to what a horrible cost take his life, what a horrible This war did They think his battle for survival is already lost battle for survival is They think his and disease getting worse: rats, filth Trenches are

Cause ones in the battlefield there is no chance flee Cause ones in the battlefield

Crying, having pain, letting go a heartbreaking yelp a heartbreaking letting go having pain, Crying, some serious aid is really in need for This soldier, His fellows are already digging his grave with spades are already digging his His fellows

Bas van Boldrik van Bas Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Sg. St.- Canisius, Almelo, The Netherlands Tom Thanks to Germany So thanks, Liberation and saved us. The whole world, for our freedom, for our freedom. for our wants to thank you. and especially Europe, for giving your lives, they gave their lives, they gave lives, D-Day took many through, but they came when the Allied forces came, when the Allied and pushed the Germans back, and pushed the the people Holland were happy, the people Holland Thanks to the Allies we’re free, to the Allies Thanks A bomb again It never ends We will all die The sky is grey sky is The Get down! I hear Get down! I Everywhere I look Everywhere Today, or tomorrow But does it matter? This war never stops Bodies all around me all around Bodies All along the battlefield All along the Every day, the same grey day, the same Every Eating the rotting bodies Eating the rotting Rats are walking everywhere Rats are walking

Kilometers of the same trenches Kilometers of

Robin Linssen Robin Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Nik van Rozendaal

Women crying still denying soldiers dying soldiers Bullets killing Gasses spilling Bombs are flying Bombs Winter’s chilling Shells are shrilling Causing now, the end of times? Causing now, friend Come by me, my poor old here and now our lives will end here and now our lives will All of this for just some dimes? All of this

Now, wind The The wind, The wind, The wind, knowing that… is it as blowing dirt the in dying winner the always trenches the in dead die friends my seeing where did it come from where did dust into steadily turning fighting in the horrible war fighting in the it will slowly blow me away and then slowly losing myself and then slowly well as behind from stabbed being

The wind, The wind, The wind, The wind, The wind, The wind, war the following it is always there it is always as they did before having to see this with all its wisdom shadow a like smooth hair my through blowing who makes the leaves flow the leaves who makes roaring across the battlefield roaring across more even of war world first the

men having to fight for their lives men having to

Sharon Franke Sharon Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Rob van Raaij War Story Grenades comming near Grenades comming This can’t be God’s will This can’t be Im going back, going home Another shot, another kill Another shot, All our efforts are in vain Death, the only thing I fear Death, the only but dead inside Still alive, A lonely life without a bride A lonely life Physically young, mentally old Physically young, mentally That’s how my war story is told. That’s how my war story They keep on going, cries of pain They keep on Myself still there, a heart of stone Myself still there, a heart Cormier Heroes by Robert on the book: Based

That have really done That have really Even at the darkest time the darkest Even at those who took their freedom doom shot in front of humans waiting for the sound of boom waiting for the sound of of freedom are the angels There And a chance to raise their voice And a chance for what they had the potentional Explosives planted in a small doll Explosives planted to come a place where nobody wants Fighting against this total control Fighting against

In this world there are only a few one In this world Young children screaming for their mom for their children screaming Young

a pitty they didn’t stopped them before a pitty they didn’t stopped A world wherein every human has a choise A world wherein commiting a crime is commiting the World Even when

Rob van den Heuvel den van Rob Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Jip Steenbakkers

Tone deaf Tone What should I do? What should The whistling sound, The whistling I can no more bare... I look down, my leg is hurt. mortars from highest degree. mortars from people here are getting numb. people here are getting Fellow medics became friends, Fellow medics Badly injured ones everywhere, the taste of sand in my mouth. of sand the taste I can not anymore stand the hum, I can not anymore stand This moment will forever pursue. This moment Bomb shells dropping all around me, all around dropping Bomb shells what can I do to stop the war machine? what can I do they will probably be dead before the war ends. be dead before the they will probably blood spatters all over me, red becomes the dirt. blood spatters all over I think about my girl, her eyes beautiful and green, my girl, her eyes beautiful I think about

For nothing For nothing Did it make sense Did it make sense Did it make Did it make sense Simply for nothing Fighting for people Fighting for

People losing their lives People losing People losing their limbs

People losing their family People losing Who think they are superior Who think they

Jarno Schellekens Jarno Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Thomas Degreef I have yet to find the death yet to find I have But I am not afraid of dying, am not afraid But I clearly anymore I can’t think blood and gore Due to all the Lead keeps passing by my head, passing Lead keeps Will I be send to heaven or hell Will I be send I can’t escape my very own fate. I can’t escape Or must I go home without a farewell Or must I go sense of time and date I’ve lost the he says he needs me back in the fight. he says he needs me back My officer tells me I will be alright, My officer tells me I will The blood besides me is still drying. me is still besides The blood There is no virtue that goes above this There is no virtue that But I wouldn’t reach the end of the night. But I wouldn’t reach the I lost the fight. I fought for my life, but Dying for your country, the best thing there is. Dying for your country,

Clouds of Dust Clouds of dust Into my vivid soul Into my vivid Sending a message of life Sending a message Them I can no longer trust Them I can no Detained, and under control Their deeds carved like a knife Their deeds My fellow soldiers left me behind My fellow soldiers left With this I’ll speak to my readers With this I’ll Those deeds I always bear in my mind Those deeds I always bear

Due to the shells and their so called leaders and their so called Due to the shells

Rick Timmermans Rick Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Mitchel Kappen

Here to fight Here to serve Brave men dying Brave And then reunite. Our nations pride Our nations in” “all men join And feels so wrong And feels so And far from home. To protect my wife Life’s so different To protect my child Bombs flying around, Bombs I’m at the front now No, you just can’t hide No, you just Like life is no different. Like life it? it really worth But is

Enough is enough, Always is there fear, Always is there I will stay and pray. And not a word to say. word not a And alive, amen! I’m still One day it will disappear. One day it will And that we will get away. In the trenches every day, In the trenches every day, every the trenches In again, day again and Every This path is way too rough. This path is But that hope is almost gone, But that hope is almost dawn. Maybe it will last till Nothing is certain in the war, is certain Nothing You realize that more and more. You realize ok, I hope this will all become But there will never be delight. But there will never be But for now I will go on and fight, But for now I will go on

I cannot stop thinking about the war, I cannot stop It is so much I can’t bare it anymore. It is so much

Charlotte Rem Charlotte Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands The Schijndel, College, Elde

Elde College, Schijndel, The Netherlands Max Rooyakkers

One day Every day I saw my friends, enjoing life saw my friends, enjoing Every day I Now I am in Germany, sleeping in cold tents Germany, sleeping in cold Now I am in One month ago I saw my girlfriend, loving her I saw my girlfriend, loving One month ago Now I get completely mental, from the happenings Now I get completely mental, Every day I went to school, building up a future went to school, building Every day I Every day I go to the front, hoping not to get shot Every day I go to the front, One month ago I was at home, sleeping in my own bed I was at home, sleeping One month ago Every day I see one of my mates, suffering from injuries Every day I see one of my finale of their lives. finale of their times when I remember Of fishooks and family and all Of fishooks are I am a soldier, and there I’ve only fought for the things I’ve only fought for the is that I think all I could say that once and would become life. that once and all by strings; that pulled upon shall be the lives that have, or what would I have to say to you? I have what would Of the friends you can make in the Of the friends viscuous tool, the ventriloquist’s Perhaps, I would tell you that now, you that I would tell Perhaps, not, nor have ever been Of how I am I’ve met, that are home, the people to everyone touched, and everyone felt, and everyone touched, to everyone To all those for, and all those against, and all those those for, To all lived, and all the things that make me exist. lived, and all the things I only care about the politics of pulmonaries. I only care

Bathurst High School, Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada Dylan Sealy A soldier, living A soldier, slow me, I am there again. slow me, I am none of these so dangerous as none of these so dangerous A much simpler time-skip occurs A much simpler time-skip wet muck circling my bootheels. wet muck circling Mortar shells, grenades, shrapnel, Mortar shells, here, and I can taste the warmth of here, and I can taste the The men around stand as sequins upon The men around stand as state that each minute rest delivers. state that each minute rest the cloth-wrapped slug I have become. the cloth-wrapped slug I to match the unearthly grumbling of a unearthly grumbling of to match the akin to the violent rippling of my lips akin to the the landscape, simple only for the blank the landscape, simple only had tongues. home in bones I didn’t know of mind, when suddenly I hear a squashing I hear when suddenly of mind, be noise that could only sound; a garbled My teeth, I’ll notice, will buzz and shake notice, will buzz and My teeth, I’ll the other, listless only for the wandering only for the listless the other, There are times when my feet fall, one before my feet fall, are times when There Without pause, nor drag from tendrils of time to nor drag from tendrils Without pause, sky so drab and thick with cloud and weather gray. and thick with cloud and sky so drab Scars of War Scars Just a heaping mess or fire Never forgotten, forever told Never forgotten, Bones are broken, tears are shed Bones are broken, screams unending Gunshots sound, twisting, bending Sanity moving, by the hand of man Caused purely Many left with no one left to hold Many left with Wars leave scars wherever they land Wars leave scars Not what we wish, not what we desire Not what we wish, not what When will we stop, when will we learn When will we stop, when Lost are the innocent that tore and bled innocent that tore and Lost are the

That destruction and violence is all we will earn That destruction and violence

Kalina Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Canada Quispamsis, School, High Valley Kennebecasis

Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Jarrod J. 6.25 For 50 years For 50 Being foolish 1950 June 25th 1950 June But if we unite Being so foolish back Now we look Suffer it became North and South Korea A country called Korea A country Between the same Koreans Between the Aiming guns at each other Aiming guns Only a long sigh comes out Made an irreversible mistake Looking at the distant border And think how great it would be And think how The sighs will turn into laughter The sighs will turn into It cannot be expressed with words It cannot be The day when tragedy and sadness began and sadness when tragedy The day Unable to forget the pain and the suffering Unable to forget To erase the line that goes across Korea with an eraser To erase the line that goes Religion, hatred, land Religion, hatred, instead of guns blowing in my ear instead of guns Wanting more then you already have Wanting more Maybe it would have all disappeared, Maybe it would Should have stood up for what you believed in stood up for what you believed Should have Bombs going off like sparks sparking in the fire Bombs going off like sparks Look at the fear in their eyes, Make love, not War Look at the fear in their Guns shooting as often as leaves fall from trees in autumn Guns shooting as often as

You could have made it like a splash in a pool, simple and fun in a pool, simple and made it like a splash You could have

Ashley L. Ashley Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Canada Quispamsis, School, High Valley Kennebecasis

Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Heather C. Death This is war Religion, land, greed Religion, is that all worth fighting for? is that all gases spreading like harmful diseases gases spreading Death, bloodshed, innocent lives gone Death, bloodshed, Boom, bam bam bam, another 80 soldiers gone bam, another 80 soldiers Boom, bam bam bombs all made for destruction Gases, guns, Those guns, shooting off like the sound of popcorn popping shooting off like the sound Those guns, War. Loved ones gone, homes destroyed, or between 2 countries, all because of one word... all because How can one word do so much? one word do How can This one word controls everything, This one word How can this one word mean so much? How can this this one word is dirty, evil, and loud. this one word this word can be between you and your sibling, be between you and your this word can This one word is caused by Power, greed, and religion. is caused by Power, greed, This one word

this one evil, dirty, loud, painful and powerful word is... this one evil, dirty, loud,

Kelsey Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Canada Quispamsis, School, High Valley Kennebecasis

Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Colton T. Men being hired. This is so hard. To do their deed, To do their We hear the pain, We hear the There is no break. The lives we take, Bullets being fired, Bullets being I am always scared, Killing is our feed. The strength we need, The beach is now red, The beach the game. But that is All that’s left is bodies, The screeches and screams, and The screeches scenes. horrible All these Men laying down their head. Men laying down For the countries they need. For the countries I walk the beach of Normandy, beach the I walk Not knowing what is in for me. what is Not knowing But those bodies resemble freedom. But those bodies resemble Is It Wrong or Is It Right Is It Wrong Now I ask the question to you Now I ask the question to Some may question the decision to fight, Some may question Do you believe in wars in the world too? Do you believe in wars in It came with a price that some had to pay a price that some had to It came with I am proud to live in a land that is free, live in a land that is I am proud to and is given to me. was earned and is given A gift that The price was their lives for the freedom of today their lives for the freedom The price was Army and Navy. women of the Air force, The men and Together they have stood strong and fought bravely, have stood strong and Together they

Deciding on their own if it is wrong or if it is right. Deciding on their own if

Leah Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Canada Quispamsis, School, High Valley Kennebecasis

Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Becka This Is War This Is This is war. This is war. This is war. To start a war. Money, hatred, greed Money, Are all things we need things we Are all People killing, people dying People killing, Several wounded, many more dead Several wounded, many more Mothers hurt, and children crying Mothers hurt, Brothers, sisters, sons and friends Brothers, sisters, sons What in the world is there to gain? What in the Gunshots, destruction, needless pain Gunshots, destruction, For these fallen soldiers it is the end. For these fallen soldiers Fighting themselves into pointless dread Fighting themselves into

War The Ash The End Soldiers The Blood They walk on We check out The Beginning The smell of War The smell of ears It fills our The Sound of Gunfire The Sound of You see what we see You see after we see It litters the ground It litters the And leave us in ruins We Fight for Our Lives We Fight for Bodies’ lay everywhere The Difference is Death The Difference We Fight for Our Freedom We Fight for They set fire to our homes They Fight for our freedom for our They Fight They take their War treasures As our enemies conquer our land As our enemies conquer our

We Fight for Something We Believe in We Fight for

Andrew L. Andrew Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Canada Quispamsis, School, High Valley Kennebecasis

Kennebecasis Valley High School, Quispamsis, Canada Ben B. Wars Tons and tons I ask you this It fell upon us Do this or die! Do this Vietnam or Iraq China and Russia Right to the bone Why do wars start Why do wars start do wars Why treason Or commit All have a leader Bullets are thrown The gates are open The gates are bells I hear hells Graves are hammered The hiss of bullets The hiss of Of bombs fell on us The ringing of shells The ringing For six years straight Do they not have reason Do they Hell bent on destruction Hell bent on Because mistakes are made I look at my heart I’m covered in red When I join the dead Dead bodies to my left to bodies Dead I’m waiting for the day for the I’m waiting past me As bullets zoom for the day I’m waiting let us be When war will for the day I’m waiting I’m waiting for the day Dead bodies to my right to bodies Dead the day for waiting I’m buddy over at my I look He’s just as scared as me as scared He’s just horrific sight It’s a very When life will set us free When life will When we can stop this fight I start to think of my kids I start to think of my wife I’m done waiting for the day I’m done waiting for the The red of blood all around me The red of blood life When I can get back to my

My comrades are being slaughtered My comrades When I won’t be filled with fright won’t be filled When I

Jonah Curl Jonah Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Angus, School, Elementary Morrison Angus

Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Cole Chafe this war! Field of Hope Field There are so many people There are so As I run across this field As I run across this field As I run across this field across this As I run All we want is to be free. Soon a new world will have begun Soon a new world will have I wonder how people can be so proud? people can be so proud? I wonder how There are people dying all around me! dying all around me! There are people What about the families still crying? What about the I hope that I live long enough to see it. I hope that I live long I hear the bullets whistle and fire sizzle whistle and fire I hear the bullets I will reach the end the war will be done! I will reach the end the It’s so very loud and people lay there dying. there dying. and people lay very loud It’s so I do not believe that people can’t see what goes on in that people can’t see I do not believe I knew of the First World War and I fear this is the sequel. fear this is the sequel. First World War and I I knew of the Always have Always have Always Even though But remember Always will. Always will. Always You lay there, Love you still Love you still you Love Looking at the sky Looking at the We loved you once, We loved you once, loved We But lost in thought, But lost in Just one more minute, Bombs are dropping and are dropping Bombs heaving, Your heart is Your mind doesn’t stop Sadly soldiers are falling Sadly soldiers You’ve now lost your freedom. You’ve now lost watching the roaring planes go by. watching the

You breathe your final breath goodbye You breathe your final breath

can’t refuse it, you didn’t choose it. can’t refuse it, you didn’t

Cierra Foster Cierra Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Angus, School, Elementary Morrison Angus

Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Garret F. It is horrible We all see now We all The Bay of Pain Bay of The The things that we saw It’s a suicide mission It’s a suicide So we fight till the end So we fight It is an aweful feeling Walking out of the boats out of the Walking The pain that we went through It’s terrifying, why am I here? It’s terrifying, Most of us will not make it home Most of us will through my head The things going I hope there is never a war again. I hope there is never a The water is red, the sand is red, the sand is is red, The water All we can do is go as far as possible. All we can do is go as far The bullets are flying past my face and body are flying past my face The bullets You never know who you’re walking on or over You never know who you’re through the sky through he could not be beat he could not became many heroes graves became many for the challenge soon to face soon the challenge for for what they believed was right for what they then he thought they came to fight then he thought the struggle to save innocent lives the struggle to save innocent floating not to far away was his limp floating not to far away body lying still struck by icy chills body lying still struck whether or not if it is to live or die whether or not he just might break, feeling as though to his dismay Charging up the bay only Because of his brave sacrifice he helped Because of his brave sacrifice Hearing painful cries as bullets fly high as bullets painful cries Hearing Bashing into the crashing waves which now the crashing waves which Bashing into His heart began to race as he braced himself he braced as to race began heart His

He ponders at the thought of where his fate lies his fate thought of where at the He ponders over the rocky shores vowing to return once more This overwhelming state was all too much to take, state was all too This overwhelming as though up off his feet feeling Picking himself taken by the deadly war, His body lives no more -

Hayley Rosenow Hayley Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Angus, School, Elementary Morrison Angus

Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Shyla Grantmyre I had to defend, Under the ground, Now I lay in a field, I had to keep fighting, I had to keep How I hoped it would end. How I hoped The water red with blood, red with water The The beach full of corpses, full of The beach around me, Bombs exploding Bullets hitting my friends, Bullets hitting No one knew they had known, No one knew We hope not to be forgotten, We hope not to be forgotten, We hope there will be peace. No one knew they’d be waiting, knew they’d No one This was not what we had planned. not what This was We planned it so carefully, what had gone wrong? so carefully, what had We planned it Along with many others who fought with me that day. Along with many others who “For Canada” I kept thinking, until my last breath. “For Canada” I kept thinking, Untitled Untitled Row upon row. Of my family and I. On my family’s faces, On my family’s Guns here, bombs there, bombs there, Guns here, Running through my body, Running through Than one of those crosses As soon as I think of that As soon as I in blood. They are covered The tears run down my face, The tears run I feel my heart and my head, I feel my heart I am now nothing more to some I am now nothing more to Not just one or two, but many. Not just one So I think of one last memory, Guns and bombs are everywhere, everywhere, bombs are Guns and And so I hear one last gun shot, And so I hear one last gun close, And BAM! My eyes start to All I can feel is the aching pain All I can feel

The dreadful thought of the sad looks of the sad thought The dreadful the dead, I knew someday I would join Making people lie on the ground dying. on the ground people lie Making

Brittany Williams Brittany Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Angus, School, Elementary Morrison Angus

Angus Morrison Elementary School, Angus, Canada Chantal Wagner Bullets shoot by you You are the lucky one Your Final Resting Spot Resting Your Final with your fellow soldiers Your heart starts to race Your heart starts Imagine being sent to war being sent Imagine Once you arrive at Juno Beach Once you arrive You say goodbye one last time You say goodbye Battling for your homelands freedom Battling for Red appears on many peoples uniforms Red appears on many peoples You have to leave behind your family You have to The palms of your hand start to sweat your hand start to sweat The palms of Leaving behind everything and everyone you loved everyone you and behind everything Leaving Sounds of guns and explosions are racing around you and explosions are racing Sounds of guns A man behind you falls to the ground with a loud thud A man behind you falls to You quickly look around you, people are falling all over You quickly look around You realise you will see horrible disturbing things at war you will see horrible disturbing You realise you care about die you will see many people You are afraid You drop your body to the ground; you shuffle along the sand You drop your body to the

Lives are ruined, are Lives Families heartbroken, shouldn’t be firing gun, shouldn’t be their people, to protect enemies. shouldn’t have All the soldiers in war, families are pulled apart, are pulled families Boys at the age of sixteen, Boys at the died saving their country. pull the trigger and shoot, pull the trigger and shoot. pull the trigger and shoot. The enemy falls to the ground, risking their lives for others their lives risking They pull the trigger and shoot, They pull the

finding out loved ones have died. finding out to make the world a better place. to make the world a better children separated from their parents. from their separated children that’s another family been teared apart. that’s another family been They did it for the people who live today, They did it for the people their country, to save all ages trying Men of

Hannah Spitzal Hannah IES La Cala de Mijas, La Cala de Mijas, Spain Mijas, de Cala La Mijas, de Cala La IES

IES La Cala de Mijas, La Cala de Mijas, Spain Abi Bashforth kisses and huggs good byes and cries. good byes and risking their lives, As they pack their bags As they pack We know they are being appreciated everyone is feeling sad, real sad, everyone is so a soldiers heart won’t be broke. so a soldiers heart won’t The men don’t say anything out loud, The men don’t supporting him for she loves him so, she loves him him for supporting so we once again have peaceful lives. so we once again have peaceful they just stand there and look proud. they just stand she will wait for when she’ll hear him say when she’ll wait for she will The wife helps her husband get ready to go husband get helps her The wife Honey the war’s over I’m coming home today. over I’m coming home Honey the war’s Phone calls will be made and letters will be wrote, Phone calls will be made Was now a martyr of war. Was now a martyr to live, She had no will to give. She had no more Have made this sacrifice, She collapsed onto the floor, She collapsed For the sake of barrels of oil For the sake of barrels YOUR SON HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD!! HAS BEEN YOUR SON How many more must sit and wait How many more must sit and Madam – WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU – WE REGRET Madam The words had blurred her vision had blurred The words price. They’ve paid the ultimate name. For that bullet with their How many more do we have to lose? How many more do we have She’d given God her flesh and blood She’d given games, As world leaders play these The little boy with the bloody knees The little boy mothers around the world Millions of

This mother’s hair turned grey that night hair turned grey that This mother’s

Frankii and Kelly IES La Cala de Mijas, La Cala de Mijas, Spain Mijas, de Cala La Mijas, de Cala La IES

IES La Cala de Mijas, La Cala de Mijas, Spain Charlotte and Kayleig As everyone fights As everyone The world is dying The world is is crying world The The world wont forget The world will survive My hands can not reach Through this awful time alone and never remembered leaving everyone wondering leaving everyone ones again. special loved if they will ever see their if they will all their important people. important all their The world is black and white is black The world They fight through sweat and blood They fight through These memories that should be left These memories that should Moon of the sky, Moon of the water Moon of the sky, Moon of as it watches the soldiers fighting. soldiers the it watches as and tears running down their cheeks. and tears running They fight for their friends and family, friends and for their They fight We will touch the sun and peace will return. We will touch the sun and A lot of fear is in the air A lot of fear Many women will lose their son Many women will you can’t deny. It’s something War is a hard time for everyone, a hard time War is Every time a lot of people will die Every time a this, it isn’t fair We have to stop Negotiate instead of attacking another Negotiate instead Treat each other like it’s your brother Treat each other like it’s Together we can make this world a better place Together we can make this

Were people can live peacefully with joy and grace. Were people can live peacefully

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

IES La Cala de Mijas, La Cala de Mijas, Spain Pearl and Manu War, Is simple, And lots more War Means cry War Means War Means fire War Means guns War Means loss War Means blood War Means death War Means tears War Means War Means sorrow War Means killing War Means bombing War Means sickness War Means explosions War Means mutilation War Means occupation War Means destruction But it repeats itself, What is war but a bad game. War extracts a deafening cry: deafening a extracts War War is begging a question: ‘Why?’ a question: is begging War We can’t imagine It is just so bizzare It is just so A world without misdeeds Once there was a World war Once there was What life was like back then What life was In a war millions of people die In a war millions A peaceful world is what we need A peaceful world is what

Without saying their relatives goodbye Without saying

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous People come and go, Bombs are dropping, This should be stopping. This should Every day and every night, Every day and Shouldn’t we help one another. Shouldn’t we Everywhere is the smell of deaths Everywhere is Why do we have to kill each other, Why do we have lets live in peace and use all we know. lets live in peace and use Women and man die and see the bright light. die and see the bright Women and man Which were people who were shot through their heads. who were shot through Which were people Why can one person be so cruel Why can one All the hope could be forever faded All the hope could be forever It all began when this land was invaded this land was began when It all be peace and no fright? Will there ever was invaded It all began when this land It effects the whole world, this useless fight whole world, this useless It effects the Destroying our world which was so nicely created world which was so nicely Destroying our duel superpowers in an everlasting Fighting with The war must be stopped and may never occur again be stopped and may never The war must

Hopefully we can do that together and stop this awful man Hopefully we can do that

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous Second world war Second world At last they had won the strike At last they had won the A period that nobody can ignore A period that Controlled from their German base Controlled from A lot of countries fought together A lot of countries Rockets and bombs were used in war Rockets and in 1945 till so far But it stopped To stop the German soldiers forever To stop the Reich This was the end for Hitler’s Guns and soldiers all over the place Guns and soldiers War is hard War is War is unfair War can kill you War can kill You will survive And get back life Everyone is scared Everyone is hiding Everyone is It will end somehow

Doesn’t matter where Doesn’t matter It will end sometime

This horrible fighting This horrible Everyone wants to stop Everyone wants

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous People are dead Why kill each other Why kill each it’s all too bizarre. it’s all too and stop war forever. Why should we make war, Why should we Let’s just work together, and not just help another? and not just War is hard for you and me, War is hard It’s not fair just to murder, It’s not fair just first think a bit further. and don’t even have money to buy bread. and don’t even you can’t trust anyone and aren’t free. you can’t trust Soldiers die everyday Soldiers die On television you can see On television Maybe you won’t notice that Maybe you won’t Also innocent people pass away Also innocent Who thought it would come that far Who thought it would come What’s happening to the world is bad What’s happening A lot of tears are, and will be, shed A lot of tears I hope one day wars will come to an end I hope one day wars will What wars can do to people like you and me do to people like you What wars can And everyone would be eachothers bestfriend And everyone would be eachothers Such a terrible thing as the second world war thing as the second Such a terrible

But they have to go on, even when their loved ones are dead to go on, even when their But they have

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous

*It’s ironic, who’s the fool? the who’s Who’s the blame, the Who’s People have hope, greed and disgust. Is there no shame? Is there People in the street, People Children will be able, Is it worth dying for? Is it worth Using a gun as a tool? Using We’re full os mistrust, We’re full os tomorrow they’ll be gone. At times like this you pray Who’s the man with the gun? Who’s the man are scared and start to run. are scared and just retreat? Why don’t they to play outside on their own. to play outside on their It’s something, you can’t ignore. It’s something, but a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday.* but a bomb blew the mosque

One more happy Jew We were brought away We were brought Just sit down and wait Just sit down And it all became true So we went into hiding So we She had been killed at war She had been After a while we were found After a while but the other Not this war, There was nothing we could do was nothing There ago, It’s already a long time It’s already a long time ago, long time a already It’s I grabbed the hand of my mother I grabbed the hand of my But I still remember everything remember I still But “What would my grandmother say?” “What would But I still remember everything. As we were walking to gas chamber As we were walking saved From that moment on we were

I hoped everything would be alright I hoped everything would

I thought I would die and I thought: I thought I Creepy German men were looking for us were looking German men Creepy

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous TOO FAR Only Hitler was the best Only Hitler They stood up and were brave No Jew was safe in any place No Jew was safe And would kill all of the rest And would kill But everyone wanted another ruler But everyone wanted another No gypsy or gay or any other race No gypsy or People don’t want to live in a war to live in a don’t want People Hitler the leader, Hitler the Füher Hitler the leader, But how could it ever have gone so far have gone could it ever But how They really thought it had gone too far They really thought it had So they killed Hitler and ended the war. So they killed Hitler and Fought together so they knew they were safe Fought together so they We should remember, Saved so many lives, Saved so many Luckily we got help, Luckily That they were needed They saved our country We should still regret, And they did their best. And they did They promised their help, They promised They helped us and fought, They helped That they gave their live. In the end, they succeeded But got shot in their chest. But got shot To make sure we could survive. To make sure We couldn’t defend our country defend We couldn’t

The Canadian soldiers were mailed soldiers The Canadian

The Dutch tried so hard, but failed tried so The Dutch

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous WAR! Another bomb falls out of the sky. Another bomb Climbing over the bodies of everybody who died the bodies of everybody Climbing over But at least now the general’s orders are fulfilled. But at least now the general’s Destroying everything and everyone that was just nearby and everyone that Destroying everything they are the enemy “Kill the Germans!” “Kill the Jews!” People running everywhere trying to find a place to hide everywhere trying to People running This is what we call a war innocent blood being spilled. This is what we call a war But were those women and children the cause of this misery? women and children the But were those But then a huge boom But then Suddently the bell rings Suddently the This war makes my so sad. We as Jews have no friends We as Jews have What are they looking for? This war is full of sadness This war is It’s so quiet in the street quiet in the It’s so Thinking about my dead father Thinking about head I feel a huge pain in my She hold me with both her hands She hold me I can feel what my mother thinks I can feel what That yellow star makes me powerless That yellow I only hear the sound of running feet of running hear the sound I only I’m still lying in the hands of my mother I’m still lying They are shouting and knocking on the door They are shouting and knocking en enter our room They break the door open

The man takes his weapon and I hear a big boom The man takes his weapon

I run to my mother on the other side of the room mother on the other side I run to my

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous Roaming around in this fight, Roaming around All those children lost their dad, All those children Hoping to survive a dangerous night. Hoping to survive Why are so many women left with fear? Why are so many Their husbands are fighting far from here. are fighting far from Their husbands sad. their lives they will be The rest of Blood in my face Blood in my eyes Blood in my Holes in my pants Holes in my Dreams full of lies Dreams full ground Tears on the Blood on their hands Blood on their found Soldiers never Streaming every place Streaming every Tears cried by my mother Tears cried I’ve just lost my brother

Deep scars are left behind forever Deep scars are left behind never And they will not be healed,

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous The Second World War The Second Not enough food to eat Not enough food Soldiers in the street Soldiers in Small children are crying Living in the time of war Living in the Bombs falling are not rare Bombs falling Jews wearing a yellow star Jews wearing Millions of people are dying Millions of war The awful result of this It’s leaving an enormous scar It’s leaving an enormous Airplanes are flying in the air Airplanes are War Never more They run around crying They run around It costs a lot of lives It costs a lot That is my greatest wish People are living in fear Even for children it’s sad Even for children because they loose their mom and dad because they because there are so many people dying because there through this Let’s hope we’ll never go a child with a gun, no that’s not right a child with a gun, no that’s

and afterwards there are many lonely wives there are many lonely and afterwards

and praying that the end of the war is near and praying that the end Instead of going to school they have to fight to school they have Instead of going

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous People die A war is bad A war I have to cry People change It makes me sad It makes No more dead man No more dead They deserve a kiss I is time rearrange But it still happens But it still From their mom or dad The world we live in now The world we with weapons Man fighting But they’re already dead Let this never happen again Let this never Even children have to do this Even children have to do Please God let this never happen again Please God let this never Silence And why A scream Why fear Why death Why the guns Why the screams A shelter from death A shelter from Looking for a shelter Looking for Sound of guns and bombs Sound of guns

And then there’s silence again And then there’s silence

Anonymous Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands The Dongen, College, Cambreur

Cambreur College, Dongen, The Netherlands Anonymous I was born I was I ended up far A child of war of A child I sat in a car From hard fighting I’m a child of war I’m a child I’m a child of war I’m a child of war I’m a child I had several scars I was a child of war Three years I fought Three years In the second World War second World In the seventeen At the age of A soldier I would become I would A soldier I would join the military I would join Hundreds of people killed Now I’m unaware, I have been shot… Now I’m unaware, I have

Children of war Children These children taken by heartless men These children taken by He looks around, fear written on his face written around, fear He looks the most cruel crimes They have witnessed They have seen things no one should ever see things no one should They have seen and can’t feel pain They are trained to kill I see a little boy standing on an empty field standing on a little boy I see Used as machines, captured with ball and chain Used as machines, captured The have become persons they never wanted to be persons they never wanted The have become full of death On his playground, the battlefield On their way to destroy villages again and again On their way to destroy This field full of death truly is a horrible place of death truly is a This field full rough times of war have been through The children war takes his last breath On this field a child of

All the horrors of war in front of his eyes revealed of war in front of his All the horrors

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

A secret Freedom we create Soldiers come and go come and Soldiers Respect for their proud for their Respect actions; but what we know actions; but is it fate? Is it hate or Is it peace or is it love? Is it peace When the final gun is blown The white flag will be shown Soldiers fight for our nation Defeat all their frustration is to remember them out loud is to remember A question we should think of A question we But what were their thoughts? Are those gone in the foughts?

War War War This is war! Leaving a scar After that final shot War , the terrible thing When my brothers are dying When my brothers This ironic destructive thing This ironic like a sting Being shot feels And their kids feel like crying And their kids feel like

It is a thing we keep on remembering It is a thing we keep on

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

Trenches Close to the fences Close to the Being in the trenches Being in the War is time for decision making. War is time killing and heartbreaking Seeing all the

In the air. Everywhere. Clouds of sulphur Bombs are falling Dead men laying all about. Dead men laying It’s a heartbreak warfare. There we lay in the trench, we lay in the There Shells exploding all around, exploding all Shells Bombs are falling everywhere, to cry or needs to spit, Everybody need Together with my brothers in the stench. in the with my brothers Together Every sweet tooth needs just a little hit. Every sweet tooth needs Every beauty needs to go out with an idiot, Every beauty needs to go

How can you stand next to the truth and not see it? How can you stand next to

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

War Men are dying Bombs are dropping Airplanes are flying Airplanes are War is a horrible thing War is a horrible They should be stopping! There’s nothing to praise and sing There’s nothing

Please I’ve fallen so far I’ve fallen far down I’ve fallen around The first time For the people you are And the clouds will roll by And the clouds Please give me a second face Please give Please give me a second grace give me a second Please Please tell me your second name Please tell me your second game Please play me your second I just need your mercy for a day I just need your mercy for we must stop the war, or at least try. we must stop Now I just sit on the ground in your way on the ground in your Now I just sit Come, come sit down on the fence in the sun down on the fence in Come, come sit

Now if it’s time to recompense for what’s done time to recompense for what’s Now if it’s

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

I’m all alone The days of war The days It’s just like theft It’s just like I’m afraid to go outside I’m afraid to All those bombs that drop This really needs to stop Living in the days of war Living in the Where already so many died Where already It makes my life dark grey. My father and mother are away My father and In this big, dangerous war zone In this big, sister have left My brother and colour I hope my life gets some You’re not safe in your own car You’re not safe Because my world keeps getting smaller Because my world keeps getting

War is? Perhaps war is, Perhaps war Perhaps war is, Perhaps war is, Perhaps all about power. But perhaps it’s this But perhaps But perhaps it’s this But perhaps it’s this, But perhaps a lack of conversation. fighting for your nation. saving lives of billions. saving lives it feels like a cold shower. it feels like For sure war includes death, destroying lives of millions. lives of destroying

which takes away a man’s breath. which takes away a man’s

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

It’s all so sad.. It’s all so Will he come home? Will he come But what will it cost? However hope is not lost, However hope Children are missing dad, Children are all alone, Women are left Will it be better that day? They have to protect the land, to protect They have In the future it will all be OK, In the future it will all Men are needed to serve the state, needed to Men are What has the future for us to bring? What has the future for What is the world a miserable thing.. What is the world a miserable They leave their family and their mate, and their their family They leave do a job they can’t stand. They need to yes, this was war yes, this was Fellow brothers dying Fellow brothers At the end of the day There we lay in the mud we lay in the There war is driving us insane war is driving soldiers screaming in pain soldiers screaming German airplanes overflying Bullets whistled all around Bullets whistled all our bodies wasting away We were haunted by this sound We were haunted shot by an enemy’s machine gun shot by an enemy’s just dropped off onto the shore just dropped the water red from all the blood the water red

they have to pay for what they have done they have to pay for what

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

Inhumane Food is needed War is not over Gas is drifting Death is calling Bombs are falling Bombs Soldiers take cover Soldiers take Eyes are in despair We are in disbelief A thousand-mile stare Death is being cheated Death is being Mass people are shifting Mass people They seek a four-leaf clover Men thinking about their lover Men thinking

War And if I stop for a minute And if I stop And I’m the first to admit it And I’m the Maybe more than by the grade Of the drugs you took that day Of the drugs you took that Sometimes I feel like the chosen one Sometimes I feel like the Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one I’m the I feel like Sometimes was ever born Sometimes I wonder why I Too tired too fight and too scared to run fight and too scared to Too tired too who has no faith I feel like I’m a thief Sometimes I feel like it’s all been done it’s all I feel like Sometimes I think about things I really don’t wanna know things I really don’t I think about an ice flow I’m a liner stranded in Without you Sometimes I wanna change everything I’ve ever done wanna change everything Sometimes I

Sometimes I wanna shout out ‘til everything goes quiet Sometimes I wanna shout

Anonymous

Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands The Terneuzen, Steelantcollege, Zeldenrust

Zeldenrust Steelantcollege, Terneuzen, The Netherlands Anonymous

Silence now everything is gone, now everything as throwing just a dice. their relatives will moan. their relatives As destruction’s o so vast. None of all that was is left None of all because this o so cruel theft because this pay the price. now they shall The man who laid down his life, The man who laid down his soar, And as bombs from the sky as death and chaos did prevail. as death and So now we will avenge their fate So now we will All that’s left is an empty space left is All that’s In all the world’s endless strife, In all the world’s endless Now they will fall in massive rate Now they will Lost their voices, lost their face Lost their voices, and people who can’t tell the tale. tell the who can’t and people But will this help in all what’s past? But will this help in all ‘Only the dead have seen the end of war.’ ‘Only the dead have seen Not for Myself Not for Not for myself I am a soldier Yet I stand here Yet I stand But for my people If I die, so be it But the suffering in these lands But the suffering I will run into battle and embrace it I will run into battle and of the people Because I am the spirit Knowing many of us may die for the cause Knowing many I stand in the trenches among my brothers I stand in the Prepared for the dark hours against the enemy the dark hours against Prepared for

Terrified for the possible loss of the oncoming slaughter the possible loss of the Terrified for

Courtney Emond Courtney Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Alicia Brown whole life Rest in peace Well almost everyone Well almost They were like oceans They were like My mother was so quiet My mother was It’s ten years later now It’s ten years But now we have moved on I wish I got to know him I grabbed onto her waist I grabbed onto I looked up into her eyes I looked up A brave man going off to war A brave man going off to My father was all dressed up dressed was all father My I watched it go down the road it go down I watched He was ready to walk out the door out the walk to was ready He our goodbyes and I said My mother waved goodbye in it and He jumped I have so much respect for those men I have so much respect for Mama tells me great stories about him Mama tells me great stories The war is over and everybody came home The war is over Then that truck pulled up with ten other men up with truck pulled Then that My mama cried for weeks when she got the news for weeks when she got My mama cried I never knew that was the last day I would see my father that was the last day I I never knew But I do have so much respect for him as if I knew him my But I do have so much respect I was only five when he left I really didn’t know him much I was only five when he Strength in Misery Strength Making us forever a pair While waiting for the enemy waiting for While Fear and hate is in the air, Fear and hate is in the Under the hail of fire they rest Under the hail With every step we walk under fire With every step under fire With every step we walk And as they were chased, one by one And as they The Axis slowly laid down their guns. The Axis slowly The fear in their eyes was clear to see eyes was clear in their The fear came flames the Canadians Among the fiery ones who cared We seemed to be the only Canadians came Among the fiery flames the As the Canadian gunslingers do their parts gunslingers do their As the Canadian

The strength of the world is in their hearts of the world is in their The strength bond we share And because of this an eternal We aren’t there yet, we pass through the wire yet, we pass through We aren’t there pass through the wire We aren’t there yet, we

Cody Leger & Ben deJong Ben & Leger Cody Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Cam Seaward We will remember Waiting for the word Waiting for the Word Waiting They stand, they wait They stand, Out in the morning glaze Out in the morning The eyes of the soldiers glisten The eyes of the soldiers Such a free and liberating sight Such a free Saw sparks of fire, saw flares of bullets Saw sparks of The crosses stand in the dark moonlight The crosses The crack of gun fire at the stroke of dawn gun fire at the stroke The crack of That the crosses stand in the dark moonlight. That the crosses stand in As the Canadian soldiers stand in the morning light soldiers stand in the As the Canadian With shots in the sky With shots in With lives on the line With lives on They left for overseas They left Lots of people had died They now had little time They now had And left the Canadian leaves the Canadian And left Canadians fought and they gave Canadians fought and they Canadians fought and they gave they gave and fought Canadians Lives were lost others were saved saved were others lost were Lives Lives were lost, others were saved Lives were lost, others But they came and saw and they fought But they came would be No one knew what the outcome No one knew what the outcome would be outcome would knew what the No one Once rich Holland had now taken a fall Once rich Holland they stayed Canada could have left but loving shade Saved by Canada and their But they fought for you they fought for me But they fought for you But they fought for you they fought for me you they fought fought for But they They saw it would be harder than they thought would be harder than they They saw it To overcome the fight and come out with a shine the fight and come out with To overcome They pushed back the Nazis with the force of a bull They pushed back the Nazis When they got there they saw why they answered the call there they saw why they When they got

With family’s left behind they had one thing on their mind left behind they had one With family’s But the Nazis took everything, cheese, milk, shoes and wool But the Nazis took everything,

John Shillington John Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Devon Mabee War We arrived on shore We arrived on They started the war They started I wish they would melt All these things if felt But we don’t really care But we don’t our help The people need They really need our help Blood running down my face Blood running This just makes my heart melt This just makes The smell of death in the air The smell of This really makes my heart melt This really makes my heart It burns and burns, it burns like mace It burns and Will You Come Home? Will You I shouldn’t have let you go I shouldn’t That you just won’t come home That you just I think back to the day we met back to the I think you all the time I think about A smile still lies upon my face A smile still ever It was the happiest moment Now, every day I’m always worried Now, every day the door You came running through Then in the view, all I saw was you Then in the view, all I The day I thought I’d never get through The day I thought to stay forever Now I know, you’re here I don’t know how I am alone in this place how I am alone in this I don’t know You told me you needed to help all the people in need you needed to help all the You told me out were “I missed you more” The only words that came

I heard a truck outside, I thought to myself, is this real? I heard a truck outside,

Kayley Godsoe Kayley Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Kaitlin Skelding longer Only for a moment Only for a moment Only For A Moment For Only a moment Only for Silent for a moment Silent One imperfect moment One imperfect moment One imperfect moment One imperfect People talk about war People talk Then it all just stops Then the moment is over moment is Then the Above me the world fights Above me the Heart beating for a moment Slow breathing for a moment Slow breathing for a moment Have they ever even seen one? Have they ever even seen The sound of death can be heard The sound of But didn’t have the strength live But didn’t have They talk about what war would be like They talk about I can hear it the sounds of guns and screams I can hear it the sounds Screams of pain like bullets flying all around like bullets flying Screams of pain Beside me the bodies of soldiers who tried to fight a little tried to fight a little bodies of soldiers who Beside me the Liberation Could you imagine In a foreign country In a foreign Teens lie about their age Teens lie about Or just for the excitement Or just for Fighting for your own freedom, Fighting for For the chance to go fight in the war, For the chance

And now they are very proud of us Canadians And now they are very proud

The Canadians helped liberate the Netherlands The Canadians helped liberate

Mitch Savoie Mitch Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Aaron Barker Why Can’t We? The ground is so wet The world is so cruel The world is It is far from amazing It is far from War is all guns blazing War is all guns Why can’t we all get along? Why can’t we So we could all live for so long So we could And with our pain we pay our debt. And with our pain we pay night When Times are Rough When Times sight It is an awful a cattle car, tight. About kids being abused About kids being It was all over the news It was all over Day after day, night after night Day after day, Men and woman died left and right Men and woman The Nazis killed and tortured the Jews The Nazis killed They had no say and if they tried to fight They had no say and if they Boom, boom, the bombs were like alarm clocks ringing in the clocks ringing in the the bombs were like alarm Boom, boom,

The price of their pride was a bullet in the side, or packed in The price of their pride

James Clancy James Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Bryana Montague Bravery; Freedom; Sacrifice; All They Had All They They did not lack They did not They wanted so bad They fought some more They fought They fought and fought They fought They gave it all they had Their country they did adore Their country But some never even came back But some never Took so much to dry their eyes Took so much Who are now resting in their graves Who are now resting in their We learn to appreciate those who gave We learn to appreciate those Trench When all is safe I will come home So many have died So many have But, how could I sleep? But, how could And most have lost hope But I know that one day We’ve been here for days We’ve been here It is the only safe place It is the only The dirt is so cold and damp The dirt is I feel so tired watching at night I feel so tired

Down in the dark we still hear the guns dark we still hear the guns Down in the

Mark Quinlan Mark Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Kimberley Costain Here we stand Of all the making Canadian Veterans Canadian Veterans are brave Veterans are No more being enslaved Here we stand thinking We are one of the some We are one of Time is a new beginning Today we’re here to stay Here are Canadian soldiers Canadian Here are Lovers of the Canadian elders Lovers of the We stand over a cross and pray We stand over a cross and Bless them for giving us this land Bless them for They’re the ones who gave us freedom They’re the They fought for their county and others They fought Now most sleep with peace and dignity in a grave with peace and dignity Now most sleep At the Hands of War of the Hands At Who would have thought Fear spikes my very core Fear spikes I hear troops outside my door I hear troops found It’s now true that I am I sob quietly, head in my hands I sob quietly, But all I can do is hide in here But all I can With a bang, the door is broke down With a bang, the door is I know it is coming, the end is near I know it is hands of war That I would die at the I never guessed like this it would end I never guessed like this My whole family was killed a while ago killed a while family was My whole I doubt it matters; I’ll be shot by night I’ll be shot by I doubt it matters; on the floor My body goes limp, collapsing I’m running low on food, the fuel for life food, the fuel low on I’m running

I hide in my abandoned house, cold and alone house, in my abandoned I hide Anxiety builds seconds before the gun is shot Anxiety builds seconds before

Chelsea Miller Chelsea Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Ben deJong War in Sight For all to see We will never be With every one step we walk under fire With every one For all man-kind we shall become myth For all man-kind When we carry on we knock down the door When we carry We will never find the one we belong with find the one we belong We will never The shots sing a song all through the war a song all through the The shots sing We aren’t there yet, we pass through the wire yet, we pass through We aren’t there The guns of war are fired The guns of The Guns of War are Fired of War are The Guns Planes boom and tanks roar Planes boom No emotion, no smiles, no frowns No emotion, no smiles, no As the death toll inevitably grows higher As the death ready when the siren sounds Troops at the The news tells the story as families mourn the story as families The news tells And another young soldier stumbles and dies young soldier stumbles and And another

Then all that is left will be bodies to grieve Then all that is left will Light barely shows through the fear filled skies shows through the fear Light barely and all to be relieved We await the end of war,

Joel Sheffroth Joel Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Tristan Ingersoll Nation CANADA Amazing Awesome Devoted Admired Courageous Promise BOOM! Cannon fire BOOM! Cannon The roar of tanks The roar I wonder why I’m here The sound of gunshots The sound In the trenches soldier! In the trenches troops again I’m with my One by one soldiers drop Bombs going off everywhere My friends lay beside me dead My friends lay fight Once again I head out to I move on with my head held high I move on with For a second I’m frozen with fear second I’m frozen For a A loud roar can be heard for miles A loud roar I just hope I’m not the next in line I just hope I’m not the Not knowing it could be the last time I see light Not knowing it could be Knowing that I have to keep my promise to return home I have to keep my promise Knowing that

Then I say I’m here for my country and to do what’s right Then I say I’m here for

Katie Frechette Katie Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Kaleb Stevens The War This war started in 1939 This war started Until I walked in SHS doors Until I walked Soldiers trying to be revived I did not know about this war not know about I did This war lasted six long years This war lasted six long Lots of soldiers shooting in a line Lots of soldiers boots shining so bright Spit shined Young adults fighting for their right Young adults Canada and Holland are very good friends Canada and Holland our fighters lots of commends We give all We sit at home and wish to see our loved ones again We sit at home and wish I wish I could have done something but I wasn’t alive I wish I could have done When soldiers didn’t come back it gave their families tears When soldiers didn’t come Across the Ocean Long days and endless nights Long days and Show no fear because we’re here Show no fear People say fighting makes you free People say fighting Traveling across the ocean to fight Traveling across It’s not always fun to carry around a gun It’s not always fun to carry With all of my might, holding back my fright my might, holding back my With all of If you were in this war you would probably agree If you were in this war

But if they were in my position they would actually see But if they were in my position

Tyson Bell Tyson Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Kristen Girouard - apart? closer entine’ Day I wrote him everyday I told him he could go I told him he It hurts and it’s tragic It hurts and the facts I have to face My life, my joy, my heart my joy, my My life, never be any Holland will He hasn’t replied in weeks And I can’t take that back And I can’t me back He stopped writing Because he was shot on Val Why would he want to see us Why would he with him Valentine’s Day Valentine’s When I open my eyes When I open I wrote him everyday I wrote Summer turns to winter Winter turns to autumn I hope everything’s okay I hope everything’s My dreams are always dark My dreams are I pray that he’ll be there I hear gunshots everywhere I hear gunshots He stopped writing me back writing He stopped in weeks replied He hasn’t I wish I could let him know The days are getting longer The days are The nights are getting colder The nights are I’ve officially hit rock bottom I’ve officially hit rock When he left he took everything When he left he took everything He’s missed five of my birthdays He’s missed I am getting older Without him, You were my everything You were my You left with your rifle Hoping to be home again And battled a hard fight a hard And battled Even at such a young age Even at such so bright Your smile was You dodged bullets for us You dodged bullets You did what you had to do what you had You did I loved you with all my heart I loved you I remember the last words you said I remember the last words I miss you more and more each night I miss you more You went when our country needed you most needed country when our went You I hear your voice over and over in my head I hear your voice over and made it home again When I heard you hadn’t “I love you,” said the last letter you sent “I love you,” said the last I didn’t know what to do, my mind went blank I didn’t know what to do, come to an end But for you, the war couldn’t How I love you, you are the stars to my night to my stars the you are you, I love How Every single day, not knowing what could happen day, not knowing what could Every single

This country loves you for it more and more each day more and more you for it loves This country

Allison McKenna Allison Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Zach Wilson The Grass Grows I think of it every day About what happened back in May About what happened back Now I am back in Canada once again Now I am back I saw lots of bodies lying in rows I saw lots of Now that’s were all the grass grows Now that’s were But when I got there I was so ashamed there I was so ashamed But when I got With a weary old man that keeps it mowed With a weary I went to the war thinking it was fun and games, war thinking it was fun I went to the So now let’s hope we all stay home and not be afraid So now let’s hope we all Will I survive? Will I survive? Fear of the War Fear of Another solider drops I fear for what will come I fear for what We all have guns and rations We all have more But soon there are many We make it past the first wave We make it past the first Every day I fear what will come Every day I Will I ever see my family again? Will I ever bodies everywhere There are dead I keep asking myself these questions I keep asking There are lots of people here with me There are lots

And with each hail of bullets that are shot And with each hail of bullets

Brannon Robinson Brannon Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Ashley Childs I walk this line I walk this Where Is The Love? Where love? Where is the Trying to find a way Trying to find Thinking of it on my mind Thinking of We all need to be heard... What has the world become? What has the Hopefully I’ll be there someday Hopefully I’ll But all seeing pain; in their eyes But all seeing pain; in Please give us the peace we deserve Please give us the peace So many wanting to live their lives So many wanting to live The pain and suffering of ones so young The pain and I can’t even picture the scenes one has saw picture the scenes one I can’t even Nowadays, killing someone is against the law Nowadays, killing someone My memory has not It warmed my heart It warmed my I am old and proud I was young and weary I was young thing I did the right I was glad to be alive I was glad to I was young and smiling I was young I sit here in my chair, smiling at their praise The day was finally there was finally The day The cheers and the praise The cheers and Of those people in Holland Of those people When the cannon fire ceased cannon fire When the Although the time has faded And the day was finally there finally was day the And battlefield for freedom I had my rifle I had my team waiting for me waiting for Young and Eager and Young Why I did not know Why I I was young and eager I was young I fought with my team I was young and tired I was young and eager I was I was young and scared By the end of the week Most wet behind the ears Maybe it was for the money it was for the Maybe Maybe it was for the glory it was for the Maybe

I had my girlfriend who was I had my girlfriend

I was shipped on over to the I was shipped on over to I was shipped on over to fight I was shipped

Devon Lavoie Devon Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Caitlyn Chatterton I miss you I love you Sitting down, Sitting Guardian Angel Guardian How could it be? How could Always in my head Always in my I can only remember I will never regret Your image is stuck Your image is Watching over me forever You’re my guardian angel You are impossible to forget You are impossible Now you are laying in the muck Now you are The good times that we had together The good times that we had Just a week ago you were here with me Just a week Just a week ago you were sleeping in your bed ago you were sleeping in Just a week This I ask myself Swaying to and fro Swaying to and fro Swaying Never hear another sound How many I may never know How many I may Dancing On the Battlefield the On Dancing on the battlefield Dancing With the clothes upon my back With the clothes Port Never see the Saint John While dancing on the battlefield Hoping I won’t be the first to go Hoping I won’t to go Hoping I won’t be the first Dodging bullets, bombs and knives bullets, bombs Dodging out here saving lives I think I’m Dodging bullets, bombs, and knives Dodging bullets, bombs, Or will I fall short, be ashes in the sand? short, be ashes in the Or will I fall

Will I be remembered for all that I have done? for all that I Will I be remembered Will I make it to the end to see the battle won it to the end to see the Will I make

Erica Smith Erica Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Emiley Buote The Devil’s Work Devil’s The Rest assure, they are not alone Rest assure, they are not They say war is some of the devil’s work is some of the devil’s They say war And now their lives are nothing but dust lives are nothing but And now their But once one war ends, another will start But once one war ends, another It is part of what makes this country hurt what makes this country It is part of These soldiers sacrificed their lives for us lives for their soldiers sacrificed These They will always be remembered in our hearts They will always be remembered While they are left behind to cry and grieve left behind to cry and While they are Though some of them will never come home again Though some of them will This country is proud of these brave, brave men This country is proud of And half of these soldiers are still just boys, And half of these soldiers And the families of those are still left crying those are families of And the Wives get prepared to watch their husbands leave to watch their husbands Wives get prepared Sixty-five years later, and soldiers are still dying are still and soldiers years later, Sixty-five The ears of the soldiers constantly filled with noise the soldiers constantly The ears of Who would risk their lives for their family back home Who would risk their lives Though it is no delight Though it is I see my best friend shot Every night I sit and pray baby girl into bed at night I Went to War the Other Day Other War the to I Went other day to war the I went There’s bodies lying everywhere everywhere bodies lying There’s It is definitely no peaceful rhyme It is definitely I really want to help win this fight I really want to help win Tanks ride through here all the time Tanks ride through For all those families left with no dad families left with no For all those They are going to be so devastated and sad They are going to be so Gun powder floating through the crisp cold air through the crisp Gun powder floating us fight young men here to help There are many I pray that I will live to see another new day I pray that I will live It’s more then what I expected it to be I must say it to be I I expected then what It’s more It’s a shame to see the number of all the lost lives to see the number of all It’s a shame That were destroyed by guns, grenades, and deadly knives by guns, grenades, That were destroyed

I want to help him, but I am afraid I myself will be caught I want to help him, but

But I pray that one day I will be able to go home and tuck my But I pray that one day

Shanna Partridge Shanna Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Sarah Cooper In an instant The wind dies The sun shines Winds of Change of Winds People begin to heal It is a wretched day It is storm rages A horrid Then there is a shift Then there is But we must be careful For the winds can shift Forming pits of darkness Forming pits Today is bright and sunny Most are healed and whole The wind howls out in pain howls out The wind thrash crash and The waves and turns The water twists The waters are calm and quiet The waters are calm and Breaking the wall of independence Breaking the From within the darkness of the seas. From within The sun comes and liberates the light The sun comes A Fatal Error A Fatal Oh why, oh why The ground their bed The ground their Thousands of the dead Thousands of For absolutely no reason For absolutely The bodies all stacked high The bodies all Tall enough to reach the sky Tall enough It’s all one big fatal error The bullets in endless supply In this game of war and terror In this game of war and

All the tears are an endless cry All the tears to die Each one marking a person All killed in this killing season All killed in

Justin Cannon Justin Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Tamara Jefferson Bombs ticking They fight for us Millions of guns Millions of They Fight for Us They Fight Risking their lives Shooting one by one Shooting one They are strong for us They are strong Scared of what comes next Running around fighting for the people Running around Knowing they may be hurt at any moment Knowing they may be hurt Then surprisingly blown up by one careless step blown up by one careless Then surprisingly The Chase The I sit and listen I sit and listen Just out of my reach Just out of look sad He seems to The walks to the beach The walks Trying to grab the ocean to grab the Trying Adolf Hitler; the fűhrer The sounds of the thunder Hear what I’ve been missing And that nobody really cares I wonder what was here before I wonder what I can remember when I was little, remember when I can I see an old man mumbling about war I see an old in the air He tells about the death The dead stretch out across the land The dead stretch out across All of this is because of one certain man All of this is because of

He tells me about the better days he has had about the better days he He tells me

Justin Cannon Justin Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Justin Cannon A Helping Hand A Helping By my side are the dead By my side are Here to give a helping hand Here to give The planes fly above my head The planes fly No more death no more sorrow In the trenches muddy and cold In the trenches Death and sorrow pain and fear Death and sorrow No more sick dying and pleading Makes the soldiers strong and bold Makes the soldiers The bombs so loud I can barely hear The bombs so The Canadians stretch out across the land stretch out across the The Canadians No more of the wounded no more of the bleeding No more of the wounded no For the hope of a better future a better tomorrow For the hope of a better The Point of Impact Point The No more standing idly by No more standing Fighting to keep the peace Fighting to Without a frown to look upon Without a frown The soldiers keep marching on The soldiers light All of a sudden I see a I felt the bullet go in my head I felt the bullet go in I see blood dripping in my hand, I see blood dripping in In this place of death and sorrow place of death In this I see a place of a better tomorrow a place of a I see It hurt so bad I thought I was dead It hurt so bad I thought For all the dead watching in the sky in the the dead watching For all rang out across the land The bullets They will not stop, they will not cease They will not And we’ll all be together me and my team And we’ll all be together

Hopefully someday I’ll wake from this dream Hopefully someday I’ll wake

I start to feel good, I start to feel alright I start to feel good, I

Justin Cannon Justin Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Justin Cannon Poland 1939 Leaving the city Leaving the Destroying the city Destroying the Keep it in your mind Keep it in your Never leave it behind Leaving nothing behind Leaving nothing Make sure it doesn’t happen anymore Make sure it doesn’t happen The fighting and hatred that ends up being war The fighting and hatred Except for the rubble and humble voices of the dead rubble and humble voices Except for the Although it can be sad Although it from war Hope can come War can make people mad War is a terrible thing a terrible War is War can make us feel sad Miracles can come from war Miracles can people apart War can split Sometimes it’s not that bad Sometimes it’s It brings pain and suffering pain and It brings together But bring Countries Then happy when it’s all over Then happy when it’s all War is full of different things War is full of different War is Full of Different Things Full of Different War is But glad that we have each other But glad that we have each

Is that freedom can come from war Is that freedom freedom The most important is our

But the most important thing of all But the most

Jamie Cruickshank Jamie Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Justin Cannon The Soldier No one can imagine can imagine No one We all seem to ignore The images are horrid The images are The hatred and fighting There is no in between There is no That turns up to be war The pleading of the dying The pleading The suffering of innocence The suffering The things that I have seen that I The things A mother holding a tiny shoe A mother holding a tiny And I see that she is crying The pain and tears of others The pain and The smell of death in the air The smell of you No matter how much I tell The screams and cries are deafening The screams Like a Flower Bloomed Like a Hitler’s seed of terror was sprouting Hitler’s seed into an old man’s war Young boys sent The loss of life was pouring like a river life was pouring like a The loss of was a world turned around The Netherlands Until heroes came, and provided many needs Until heroes came, and provided Canada came and replaced the weed with love Canada came and replaced Cries of battle that send kids into a shiver that send kids into Cries of battle

Hitler’s plants of evil, an infection of weeds Hitler’s plants of evil,

It’s a flower bloomed, like a saviour from above It’s a flower bloomed, like With weeds spreading of hunger, hate and pouting of hunger, hate With weeds spreading quite sure of the hate they were not The purpose silent sound was diminished to a Until happiness

Maddy Armstrong Maddy Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Julianne Burns & Mariah Sears We Try and Try We Try But some still die, But some still All through the night All through cry children You hear Will things ever be right Will things Before the day that we die Before the day As the night turns into day As the night turns into I think of it and shed a tear I think of it and shed a As you lay on the cold ground Hoping everything will be okay Hoping everything will be found And that you will not be That everyone will soon be free That everyone We try and try to fight for peace We try and try It’s worth it though to someday see It’s worth it The sadness and fear spreads everywhere The sadness and fear spreads I Made a Promise How could they show no mercy? How could they that I would make the Nazis pay that I would make the Nazis I made a promise to them that day I made a promise make those Nazis pay That I would that day I made a promise to them To those who had hunger and were thirsty To those who had hunger As I flew over the city I looked down below the city I looked down As I flew over They would be in their houses trying to hide in their houses trying They would be

I could feel that the Nazis crushed their pride that the Nazis crushed I could feel And I saw the Dutch people, their morale was low Dutch people, their morale And I saw the

Steve Horgan Steve Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Nicheal Reed It isn’t fair It Isn’t Fair It Isn’t It isn’t fair Yes, it isn’t fair It isn’t fair my mom is gone It isn’t fair It isn’t fair, my home destroyed It isn’t fair how my stomach hurts It isn’t fair It isn’t fair now, we have to hide we have to fair now, It isn’t It isn’t fair how my supper is dirt It isn’t fair It isn’t fair now, I cannot walk freely I cannot walk fair now, It isn’t It isn’t fair now our families have died now our families have It isn’t fair It isn’t fair; I may never see my friends again It isn’t fair; I may never I worry every second that I may never see daylight I worry every second that die. freedom Here is where we stand Here is fight is where we There Sadness to See Them Die See to Sadness And they want to quit this war And they want to quit this To the pain of watching them die To the pain sound of a gun fire With the loud The fear of the soldiers lay there The fear of of why they are here With the hate With the suffering of a bullet to the head of a bullet to the With the suffering With all the bravery that the soldiers show that the the bravery With all With anger trying to keep what’s left of them to keep what’s left With anger trying to be where they are So their kids won’t have Or because they are fighting for something so stupid Or because they are fighting You never want to see someone die in their own blood You never want to see someone

The only reason why they are doing this is because they want The only reason why they they show it’s sadness to see them With all the courage that

Chris Jones Chris Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Ashlyn Inman chance to say no chance to say an innocent tree I Could Never Imagine I Could I could never imagine being sent off to war imagine being sent off I could never I could never imagine being sent off to war being sent never imagine I could My best friend could be dead, and I wouldn’t know could be dead, and I My best friend I know for a fact that war is definitely not for me I know for a fact that war I’d have to look around, see lots of blood and gore look around, see lots of I’d have to I wouldn’t want to fight; I’d want to set people free I wouldn’t want to fight; I might get a wound in my head and lose the chance to see I might get a wound in my I wouldn’t have the chance to stop; I’d always be on the go the chance to stop; I wouldn’t have Nature wouldn’t have the chance to survive, flowers die, even Nature wouldn’t have the And at the beginning those soldiers may have not even had the may have not even had the those soldiers And at the beginning I couldn’t do it, say goodbye and walk out that familiar door it, say goodbye and walk I couldn’t do Children’s faces would be full of sadness, not a childish glow would be full of sadness, Children’s faces Netherland Poem Netherland Fearing the unknown Fearing the unknown Fearing Wake up day after day Wake up day after day day after Wake up Everything that we no longer own Everything that own Everything that we no longer Work is limited, food is rationed Work is limited, our streets by night Germans roam They kill our people to please him They kill our people to reason For this, there is no right And we can’t even put up a good fight And we can’t even put up Life is harder than it ever was before Life is harder if we’ll survive this war No one knows Because we are dead when we take action Because we are

Trying to take back the things they took away the things to take back Trying things they took away Trying to take back the

Tiffany Lowe Tiffany Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Jordan Thomas Not My Country Without the pain Without the All the people feel the same. All the people This is not my country to save This is not But all have rights to live without fear rights to live without But all have Someday, We’ll All Die Free We’ll All Someday, Seemingly encased by slavery Seemingly encased As we take each hit they send As we take each We’ll hope and pray, every day We’ll hope and Simply waiting for same bravery Simply waiting will bring an end That tomorrow free And someday, we’ll all die Through all the emotions we feel Through all the emotions We starve and cry, watch others die We starve and pain we see Through anger, hurt and We live nearly too scared to breathe We live nearly

We live waiting to regain our freedom We live waiting

The sun rises again, bringing a new day The sun rises again, bringing

Katie Smith Katie Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Ashley Stewart And be done But now I’m free But now I’m free But now I’m But now I’m free But now I’m free But now Friends won’t die And kids won’t cry They fight, they die they fight, They year old girl A ten As a ten year old girl Patriotism and bravery Patriotism and The soldiers will salute It’ll end, we won’t hide We suffer, while they kill We suffer, while shouldn’t hear Something I They’re angry, they’re sad They’re angry, Shouldn’t be a party of war be a party Shouldn’t “Put me through this misery” “Put me through They put us through depression They put us I also die a little more inside more a little die I also “Mommy, why do they do this to me?” “Mommy, why I try to forget I feel depressed I feel depressed I hear guns firing guns firing I hear night I cry every I am a soldier at war I am a soldier I am a soldier at war I hope I will make it I am a soldier at war I Am a Soldier at War a Soldier I Am war soldier at I am a I dream of never being here I worry about the near future I worry about

I understand it’s for the best I understand it’s for the

I say it won’t last much longer I say it won’t last much I wonder when it’s going to end when it’s I wonder I see soldiers running with fear I see soldiers home with my family I want to be am home with my kids I pretend I

Jocelyn Richard Jocelyn Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Sam Cunningham 7,600 For every man that had died For every man Who are we to say it’s free we to say Who are Upon the dawning of tomorrow To play as God, or let it be To play as God, Seven thousand six hundred fly Seven thousand six hundred Some say it’s how it should be Some say it’s how it should Some say it’s how it should be Some say it’s That every man’s worth the same That every man’s worth the Seven thousand six hundred freed Seven thousand strong and brave Hearts so pure, shall surely thrive Two and more freed Seven thousand six hundred A noble death is not done in vain A noble death is not done sky In the blood red hate stained Seven thousand six hundred deaths thousand six Seven They’ve left hope and lifted sorrow They’ve left hope and lifted Some say it wasn’t worth the breath Some say it Some say it wasn’t worth the breath the worth it wasn’t say Some Of seven thousand six hundred deaths Of seven thousand six hundred Of seven thousand six hundred deaths Of seven thousand That life isn’t ours to give or take to give or isn’t ours That life Yet some say it wasn’t worth the breath Yet some say it wasn’t worth That hearts should beat beyond youth’s break beat beyond should That hearts Souls of seven thousand six hundred more were saved thousand six hundred Souls of seven Tanks How do you stop them? How do them? How do you stop How do you destroy them? How do you destroy them? How do you destroy All except me, of course I watch as they shoot to kill I watch as they Should I even try to run away? Should I even try to run squad They wiped out my entire You can feel the ground rumble feel the ground You can There are thirty or more of them There are thirty or more Tanks come rolling down the hill come rolling Tanks Under my breath I start to mumble Under my breath Last time I was on the battlefield I’ve seen the damage they can deal I’ve seen the damage they I think this is the end of the line I think this is the end

They come rolling down the grassy field They come rolling

Jocelyn Richard Jocelyn Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Brittany Northrup When He Came Home When He Came I’ve missed him so much I’ve missed When he came home I started to cry When he came To see his beautiful smile one more time smile one more To see his beautiful I didn’t know how long I could go without seeing him how long I could go without I didn’t know Husbands were lost Husbands were Everyone lost hope So Much I Did Not Know I Did Not So Much As the bodies descended As the bodies It wasn’t worth the cost The families were offended The families We just sit around and mope This war started so long ago This war started There was so much I did not know There was so Until the war was coming to a end Until the war was coming That was the end of World War II, my friend That was the end of World The soldiers fought for our freedom in the war fought for our freedom The soldiers

Even though we did not want them to go, the war needed them more go, the war needed them we did not want them to Even though

Ben Legace Ben Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High Simonds

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Deven Garnett weigh me down Flames of Ambition of Flames of Ambition Flames And remember I shall And remember A sacrifice for freedom A sacrifice So long as we remember. So long as we For freedom is wonderful The price of freedom can be high The price of Freedom to live, enjoy, respect, Freedom to live, I will remember with respect and dignity I will remember with respect For the loss of life is no small sacrifice For the loss of life is But to the warriors of peace it was worth it of peace it was But to the warriors Although not a sacrifice to blood hungry gods hungry gods to blood not a sacrifice Although The flames of their ambition swaying me to remember The flames of their ambition Swaying me to remember the sacrifice of their lives of their the sacrifice me to remember Swaying And most of all remember the loss of lives young to old all remember the loss of And most of Though I will not allow the cancer of my soul; Sorrow, to Though I will not allow With it you can live without permission from some Nazi Demon With it you can live without Wars broke out Wars broke We knew we could, We know we should. Was this necessary? Why did this happen? Why did this How do you stop a war? How do you stop War killed our loved ones. War killed our Why couldn’t we keep the peace? Why couldn’t we keep the Why did the innocent have to die? Why did the innocent have to die? Why did the Why did everyone have to be so selfish? Why did everyone

Wars are the most terrible things in the world. Wars are the most terrible

Hae Mee Lee Mee Hae High School, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Brunswick, New John, Saint School, High

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Sara Smith Right This isn’t what I want! This isn’t what This isn’t what I thought This isn’t what For if I lay with my peers For if I lay it happily I will not take I will pay the ultimate price I will pay the ultimate I look across the scarlet field across the I look If my father taught me anything And I see my friends lying near see my friends And I I stiffen and step into the fight I stiffen and I’ll hold my head high when I die I’ll hold my head high when I suddenly think of my friends and family I suddenly think I won’t back out of my word, even for my life I won’t back out of my word, Even if I don’t get to see another morning light Even if I don’t get to see But I’ll go beneath the ground fighting for what’s right But I’ll go beneath the Wars broke out Wars broke We knew we could, We know we should. Was this necessary? Why did this happen? Why did this How do you stop a war? How do you stop War killed our loved ones. War killed our Why couldn’t we keep the peace? Why couldn’t we keep the Why did the innocent have to die? Why did the innocent have to die? Why did the Why did everyone have to be so selfish? Why did everyone

Wars are the most terrible things in the world. Wars are the most terrible

Hae Mee Lee Mee Hae Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High John Saint

Simonds High School, Saint John, Canada Sara Smith Right This isn’t what I want! This isn’t what This isn’t what I thought This isn’t what For if I lay with my peers For if I lay it happily I will not take I will pay the ultimate price I will pay the ultimate I look across the scarlet field across the I look If my father taught me anything And I see my friends lying near see my friends And I I stiffen and step into the fight I stiffen and I’ll hold my head high when I die I’ll hold my head high when I suddenly think of my friends and family I suddenly think I won’t back out of my word, even for my life I won’t back out of my word, Even if I don’t get to see another morning light Even if I don’t get to see But I’ll go beneath the ground fighting for what’s right But I’ll go beneath the ll aste A W

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Emily Arnold Emily Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High John Saint

Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada Christopher Gambline Stealing the breath.... Stealing the Death stalk the trenches Death stalk Sneaking up behind quietly Sneaking up Looking for its next victim Looking for Peeking behind the most secure wall Peeking behind Shall we begin this war of pain and suffer? this war of pain and Shall we begin hurt; the pain, the misery and The conflict, and we are blessed. Some of those are lucky were put to rest? But, what about those who The grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. cousins, aunts and The grandparents, The behaviour of ourselves will not go unheard. of ourselves will not The behaviour The Roars the rumbles the bangs and the trouble; the bangs the rumbles The Roars The mother, the father, the sisters and brothers. the father, the sisters The mother,

Little did we know the casualties that laid within. know the casualties that Little did we

We’ll never see their faces again, for they are gone. We’ll never see their faces that happen again and again. Under selfish acts of was

William Tyler William Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High John Saint

Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada Ian McMullen Why do nations fight? Why do nations Fight for pointless pride Fight for pointless Land is here for all people Land is here concer, To me, this is war. To the parents this is war. To the parents To the people, this is war. To the soldiers, this is war. soldiers, this To the To the husbands and wives this is war. To the husbands Pointless conflict, wounds hard to mend. Pointless conflict, wounds Easy it is to begin, but hard it is to end. Easy it is to begin, but A tearful goodbye, a promise to return soon. a promise to return A tearful goodbye, They left everything behind to give us peace. behind to everything They left In them we put our trust to make the fires cease. the fires trust to make we put our In them Loud noises fill the air, cries, bombs and screams. Loud noises fill the air, A world soaked in blood and nightmares replace dreams. A world soaked in blood

Their children wonder on, not knowing when they will return. wonder on, not knowing Their children Every night they check the date, increasing in their parental in their parental they check the date, increasing Every night death struck the platoon. arrives, it is to say When a letter

Yiwei Wang Yiwei HSaint John High School, Saint John, Canada John, Saint School, High John HSaint

Saint John High School, Saint John, Canada Shawna Gonzalez Another day in Iraq Another day If I don’t see my wife If I don’t see in Iraq To another day I think I’m gonna crack I think I’m I think I will end my life I think I will Colofon Global Teenager Project (IICD The Hague) · Bob Hofman – GTP project coordinator, The Netherlands · Eliane Metni – GTP project coordinator, The Netherlands · Ria Kattevilder – GTP Learning Circle facilitator, The Netherlands · Anita Townsend – GTP coordinator, Ontario, Canada · Mark Vienneau – GTP coordinator, New Brunswick, Canada

Initiator · Maurits Kamman – Teacher Sg. St.- Canisius – Almelo, The Netherlands

Canada · Danny and Sheila McLeod – war veteran

Design and production · Koen Hofman - Boricus

Contact · www.globalteeanger.org · [email protected]