The second installment of World War Two poems written by soldiers drives home an interesting point - music, particularly jazz music, was a huge part of their lives. The poems below are parodies of well-known tunes, including "As Time Goes By", which we'll play tonight, a blues, and "Thanks For The Memories." The last one is an original song written by a POW. As Flak Goes By - Author unknown
You must remember this That flak don't always miss And one of you may die. The fundamental thing applies As flak goes by---
And When the fighters come You hope you're not the one To tumble from the sky The odds are always too damned high As flak goes by---
110's and 210's knocking at your gate Come on you jokers, come on kill that rate And should a bomb hang, salvo don't wait The targets passing by---
It's still the same old story A tale that's too damned gory Some brave men have to die The odds are always high As flak goes by.
Fortress Blues
Why did I join the Air Corps? Mother, dear Mother, knew best. Here I lie 'neath the wreckage, A Fortress all over my chest.
If you ever lose an engine, And you don't know which way to turn, Just reach right up on the dashboard, Push the button marked spin, crash and burn!
The Fort is a very fine airplane Constructed of rivets and tin, With a top speed of over 100, The ship with a headwind built in.
If you ever run into ack-ack, Or a Messerschmidt makes a good pass, Just pick up your chute and start walking; To hell with the crew, let 'em crash.
Why did I join the Air Corps? Mother, dear Mother, knew best. Here I lie 'neath the wreckage, A Fortress all over my chest.
Thanks for the Memory - Author unknown
Thanks for the memories, of flights to Germany Across the Northern Sea, with blazing guns We fought the Hun, for air supremacy. How lucky we were!
Thanks for the memories, of Me-109's And Flak guns on the Rhine They did their bit and we were hit So ended our good times...we miss them so much!
We drifted far out of formation We jumped-and what a sensation And now we sweat out the duration Our job is done, we had our fun.
So thanks for the memory Of days we had to stay, at Stalag Luft 1A The cabbage stew which had to do Till Red Cross Parcels came How thankful we were.
So thanks for the memory When "D" Day came along We changed our marching song From "Forever and a Day" to "War ain't Here to Stay" We thank God for that!
LOW IS THE SUN by John Lashly
Days have their worries
Nights have their furies
But in between times it's dull.
I hate to seem alone
So hate to dream alone
Evenings bring such a lull, so –
Low is the sun as slowly it leaves the sky,
Low is the moon as night draws nigh,
So is my heart whenever the day is through
Once a day, every day, evenings bring thoughts of you
Each long shadow whispers -
You must be lonely too
But my heart keeps saying
“Don’t go back, your through”, so –
When in dusk I sit around just for fun
Its to think of you, only, lonely, when low in the sun.
