Remembrance Day 2024

Brian Sankarsingh on what Remembrance Day should mean to us now

Photo by Alexandra on Unsplash

If - like me - you've never experienced war, Remembrance Day might feel distant. You might wonder why it’s relevant, especially when you’re not facing the horrors past generations lived through. But remembering war isn’t just about the past—it’s also about what we choose for the future.

I wrote a poem titled Destroyer of Worlds - featured in my inaugural book A Sliver of a Chance - that reflects this idea. In it I try to point out both the devastating power of war and our responsibility to make better choices. Below is the poem itself and an audio version if you would like to listen to me reflect on and read the poem.

Here’s what Remembrance Day can mean to you:

A Reminder of the Sacrifice of the people who fought and lost their lives for freedom, safety, and justice. They weren’t much different from you or me. But that sacrifice isn’t just about death. It’s also about losing friends, health, and parts of yourself - including your innocence. Many who returned from war never felt whole again. Remembrance means recognizing the weight of those sacrifices, so we don’t forget the cost of conflict.

An Understanding of Destruction and knowing that war is not just heroic stories; it’s destruction at a massive scale—of lives, homes, cultures, and futures. In Destroyer of Worlds, there’s a strong sense of the brutal force humanity has developed. Remembrance Day asks you to consider this power and what happens when it’s unleashed. When we understand the horror of that type of destruction, we’re more likely to seek out peace.

A Call for Personal Responsibility even though it might be easy to think that war as a problem for governments or past generations. This is because peace depends on our everyday choices, like how we treat others and the values we stand up for. The poem Destroyer of Worlds implies that you hold some responsibility. The decisions you make today can prevent future conflict.

A Hope for a Peaceful Future and knowledge that Remembrance Day is about respecting those who came before us—but it’s also about choosing peace moving forward. It is about understanding that the horrors of war should inspire us to build a world where we settle differences without violence. You have the power to be part of that future, by promoting empathy, understanding, and peace in your own life.

A Moment of Reflection because Remembrance Day encourages you to pause. Reflect on the world around you and think about the past, yes, but also consider what kind of world you want to live in. Being so far removed from this event means that Reflection is a first and vital step in creating change.

In short, Remembrance Day is about more than history; it’s about the choices you make every day to honor the past and create a peaceful future. By remembering, you’re actively choosing a better world.

Destroyer of Worlds 

One of the creators of the atom bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, quoted the Bhagavad Gita when he said, “Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.” This poem was written in November 2019 inspired by Remembrance Day. 

I  

Send me your young boys and your men, 
You need to send them soon. 
My hunger for souls, it grows again, 
It is not picayune.  

I need their bodies, you keep their minds, 
In the trenches filled with mud. 
They fall upon my battlefields, 
A sacrifice of blood. 

So, send them to my killing fields, 
My maw is open wide.  
Consuming hate is now revealed, 
As their bones lay calcified. 

II 

For I am come, the Destroyer of Worlds, 
To feed upon your souls. 
My ravenous hunger consumes it all, 
Behold my glory is extolled.  

You count their bodies one by one, 
When you cry, lament or grieve.  
Millions are the numbers I count, 
In my wrath there is no reprieve.  

The God of War is here - Prostrate! 
Bow down and give obeisance. 
Please don’t try to negotiate, 
There is futility in resistance.  

Loyalty and duty bound, 
These words they will seduce. 
They feed the flames of my desire, 
As I pull tight the noose.  

III 

Humanity, is born for war, 
You know no other way. 
It’s the one skill in your repertoire,  
To court your own doomsday.  

Your undoing will be your hate, 
It’s true, so don’t deny. 
It is your common boilerplate, 
The one thing that applies.  

Come take my hand, walk down the path, 
That leads to your destruction. 
And when we’ve had the last bloodbath, 
There’ll be no need for Armageddon.  

Bio: BRIAN SANKARSINGH is a Trinidadian-born Canadian immigrant who has published several books of poetry on a wide range of social and historical themes including racism, colonialism, and enslavement. Sankarsingh artfully blends prose and poetry into his storytelling creating an eclectic mix with both genres. This unique approach is sure to provide something for everyone.

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