The Battle of Arnhem

September 1944
I wasn’t there
I didn’t see the sky above Arnhem,
darkened with spots of parachutes.

I didn’t know the soldiers
who carried hope for victory,
wish for freedom.

The hopes they carried
popped like bubbles when they touched the ground.
Millions of sparks shot high up.

September 2016
I’m here
I look up at the sky above my city,
glittering with doves’ wings.

I know the birds;
each of them carries peace guarantee
each of them is a sparkle from Arnhem.

Michalina Niedźwiecka
Publiczne Gimnazjum nr 21 im. Marii Skłodowskiej – Curie w Łodzi
september 2016