My darling son,
there is a cry for war
across the land
by those who have no sons
and it calls for you to fight.
We wave goodbye
then I see the gun
across your shoulder
and I nearly die.
My darling son,
when the war is over
and the guns fall silent,
when there is peace
over our ravaged land,
I will bake a cake;
we will sing, we will dance
and we shall eat the fatted calf.
Forty years have flown by
and the young soldier
has not come home yet
until one day in March
a truck rolls into the tiny town
carrying in its back a coffin with
the missing soldier's bones.
A few words about the poem…
I Will Bake a Cake: from the collection Cyprus Poems—for Yiannakis Liasi
The imagery in this death and grief war poem from the collection Cyprus Poems, is stark and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the devastation and heartbreak experienced by the families who lost loved ones during the coup d’état in Cyprus. The poem is a poignant reminder of the human cost of war and the lasting impact it has on those left behind.
It is a moving portrayal of a mother's pain and loss during the turbulent times of the coup d’état in Cyprus in 1974 by the extreme right wing followed by a Turkish invasion that resulted in thousands of dead and missing.
The poem takes us on a journey of a mother bidding farewell to her son as he is called to fight in the war. The gun across his shoulder is a constant reminder of the danger he is facing. The mother's words are filled with love and concern for her son, as she promises to bake him a cake and celebrate his return home.
However, as the years pass by, the hope of her son's safe return diminishes. The tone of the poem shifts as the mother receives news of her son's death. The sense of grief and mourning is palpable as the mother is left to grapple with the reality of her son's loss.
The imagery used in the poem is stark, painting a vivid picture of the devastation and heartbreak experienced by families who lost loved ones during the coup d’état. It is a reminder of the human cost of war and the long-lasting impact it has on those left behind.
Through the poem, we witness the mother's determination to honour her son's life and legacy by baking a cake. It is a touching reminder of the love between a mother and her child, even in the most difficult circumstances.
" I Will Bake a Cake," is a powerful and emotional portrayal of the impact of war on families. It is a reminder of the pain and loss experienced by those left behind, and the lasting impact it has on their lives.
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