A Day To my self
see you tube link ...
https://g.co/kgs/5cQ7jo
(please cut and paste if link fails)
Clifford T Ward was a school teacher who spent time teaching abroad in places like France. He played guitar and wrote music and he sent some of the songs back home to his distant wife who remained in England whilst he worked away.
Whilst working in a French school as an English teacher, he was due a day off and was trying to decide how to spend it.
Visiting the art galleries of Paris or a trip on the river bank perhaps??...but instead he decided to visit the mass graves of the fallen soldiers, in France.
Whilst walking among the graves he was moved to write this song and the words form a love letter back to his wife in England. The words paint a picture of his time there feeling lonely and wishing like the WWI soldiers he was back home in England amongst the lanes and birds he loved so much.
He goes on to realise at least he will return to England and see his loved one but many of the dead who filled the graves around him, did not even get the chance to say goodbye...dying so far from home.
The lyrics of this song reflect a moment in time where a person tries to relate to what happened to those taking part in the great war and thinks on how lucky he is to be able to return home to his loved ones whilst the dead soldiers never got that choice. The words are very haunting.....
It was odd that at one point the video was blocked on you tube but now it appears to be back .....let's hope it remains.
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Clifford T Ward did return home to his beloved England and his wife and later died aged 57 on 18th Dec 2001 from pneumonia and a long battle with multiple sclerosis near Kidderminster in Worcestershire.
He was better known for his hit song "Gaye" released in 1973. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Art Garfunkel and Ringo Star....
On the B Side of the single Gaye he wrote a love letter in a song to his wife in the mode of the reputed English poet Robert Browning (1812-89) and in honour of the poet he called the song "Home thoughts from abroad"
Clifford T Ward remains one of the most under estimated and overlooked poets of modern times....his lyrics paint a picture of images worthy of the great poets of the past.
If you get a chance look him up on you tube and enjoy the poetic genius of his other songs such as "Scullery"
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