Pages

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Thomas Peaceful-Anzac Poem

Thomas Peaceful is a fictional character from my favourite book, Private Peaceful. The book is all about Thomas Peaceful's life, from his first day at school and to his battles at France. My poem is about the Sacrifice his dad made for him and Penance.

From the perspective of Tommo Peaceful

Sacrifice
It demands the surrender of things
We cherish above all else

Along with sacrifice comes
Penance
The more grievous the sin
The more self inflicted suffering
My sin?
My greatest fall!
The day I had killed father
Twas not my intention
Nor was it the tree’s
The tree that had ended the life of father
The tree that had cut short
Father’s lifelong film
My penance, I was going to live knowing what
I had faulted against father
The greatest suffering above all


When the tree was falling
It had seemed as if it was still upright
Father yelled from a distance
His voice shot like a bullet through my ears
and echoed continuously on my thoughts
I was in a deep trance
So deep, that when I had realized
that the tree was falling
Not a muscle nor a hair on my body
moved

At that moment, father had swooped me in arms
Lifted me gracefully with ease
Ran a few meters, before thrusting me across
And there I lied, at the tip of the oak tree
Facing dear father
Hands, were spread out wide
Body, didn't make a single movement
head was flopped, looking at me
With a red velvet substance of liquid
dripping from his nose

I remember
Seeing his pain lift from his face, and enter mine
I remember
not coping with his death
I remember
the trauma I had put my family through
I remember
how everything was before he had died


🌹🥀




3 comments:

Amy Tofa said...

Hi Luisa. Internet coverage in Savaii where I am at the moment is pretty weak but I had to post a comment about your thoughtful poem. I really enjoyed the book and your poem compliments the storyline. Manuia le aso. Mrs Tofa. How many points do you think you've collected now?

Luisa said...

I hope you are having a blast Mrs.Tofa. Thank you. I'm not very sure actually, but I have completed most of the activities only about 2 activities to go!

Danni Stone said...

Hi Luisa,

What a wonderful poem that really captures Tommo at the start of the book! Would you be happy for some of my students to look at your poem when we read about the falling tree?

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.