Chapel At Lamb Holm

Who would steal
Stations of the Cross?
And why?
For money?
Private possession?
I’m at a loss

Still they are gone
And now they are replaced
And in a place
Where war one time
Had ceased
And prisoners of war
Swept up on African sands
Made a sea journey
To this northern clime
And found themselves
War labour
Barriers to build
After the U-boat gone
And Royal Oak sent to the bottom of the sea

Two Nissan huts
They cobbled into one
And painted
And transformed into a chapel
Beautiful
A warm catholic church
On cold Calvinistic islands

Life must be made beautiful
When humankind
Turn to cruelty
Love and truth and goodness
Must be restored

My life too
Taken from my peaceful valley
Moena Italy
Lost in desert sands
Shipped over cold and cruel sea
Must be made beautiful
For all to see
And to remember
Remember me
Domenico Chiochetti

Brian Fahy
30 May 2021