“Afternoon in August” by Anthony John Clarke and Julia Porter
A song respectfully dedicated to all those who
lost their lives in 1944 in Operation Market Garden
Time was I would not wear the poppy
It belonged upon my parents’ Sunday best
I had no time for remembrance or nostalgia
I found it easier to forget
As a young boy I’d not watch the old man marching
Or ask about the medal on his chest
Chorus
But that afternoon in August
When you drove me out to Arnhem
I saw Portland Stone and Hero
At its very very best
Time was I’d say, “Vera Lynn?” she’s old fashioned
Her music it means nothing to me now
And things were pretty good for me in the fifties and the sixties
We lived a good life with no when who where or how
As mum threw away our ration books the Russians gave us dirty looks
And Kennedy put Castro to the test
Time was I’d not listen to a brass band play
That Sunday each November came and went
If a Lancaster flew over or I heard White Cliffs of Dover
Chances are I wouldn’t even turn my head
And old Charlie he knows nothing he’s always moaning about something
And I said he looked ridiculous in his tired old army vest
There was Boland, Duncan, Leech and Coke and Hartley
Garabaldi, Doubleday and Carney
Gibb, Moon, Crawford, Henry Frost among the hundreds who were lost
And one young boy not even in the army
There was Pascal, Plowman, Bryson, Webster, Mettler,
Clifford, Francis, Hogg, Dodd, Lee and Pepperel
Findlay, Skelton, Goodheart’s son, a Polish boy just 21
An innocent young mother’s son
But now that boy is gone
And I may not have permission boys to use your names this way
I wrote them from the Portland Stone
And cried for you that day
It may seem a little foolish for a man of 52
But the reason for the tears
I have sons the age of you
And the pure white Portland Stone just seems to grow there
Maybe one day you might take some time and go there
On a rainy day please lay one sad red rose there
Anthony John Clarke is represented by Oscar Music Agency
Contact Bob and Ros Gilchrist on 0141 634 1095 or 07866 266 553
email: oscarsfolk@aol.com
Afternoon in August captures completely the sadness and pride of a visit to these wonderful memorials and graveyards. (Joanna Lumley)
