A U.K. high schooler whose Remembrance Day poem went viral says the attention has been a 鈥渉umbling experience.鈥�
Even if he wasn鈥檛 that impressed himself at first.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think much of the poem when I鈥檇 written it,鈥� he told CTVNews.ca. 鈥淥nly recently have I gotten into poetry. I used to absolutely despise trying to do poetry.鈥�
Joshua Dyer, who turns 15 this month, wrote 鈥溾�� at school last month. Since ex-military family posted it online, one post with the poem has been shared more than . He has even received a letter from Prince Philip鈥檚 office thanking him for the poem and been filmed for a segment on the BBC.
鈥淥ne thousand men are walking, walking side by side,鈥� it reads. 鈥淭hey walk toward the light milord, they walk towards the sun, they smoke and laugh and smile together, no foes to outrun.鈥�
Joshua told CTVNews.ca that he was asked in school to write a poem that could accompany the hymn 鈥溾�� at a veteran鈥檚 group concert. The resulting 24-line poem, an ode to comradery and sacrifice, was written by himself in about 40 minutes, he said on the phone from Herefordshire county in England.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a very humbling experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad that I鈥檝e managed to touch so many people with it.鈥�
Reactions to his words online have expressed surprise at the teen鈥檚 confident writing. Many reached out to ask for permission to read the poem at a variety of events, including Remembrance Day services at churches and army bases, veterans鈥� mental health conferences and even funerals during eulogies. He was asked by the Royal Air Force in High Wycombe to read it at a Remembrance Day parade and service on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Joshua has long been passionate about the arts, expressing interest in everything from creative writing and painting to theatre and guitar. 鈥淚鈥檓 naturally a performer,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 known as quite a creative person in a literary sense. I鈥檝e always loved language. I鈥檝e always been quite a big reader.鈥�
His mother, who is a former Royal Air Force member, and his great-uncle, also ex-military, both widely shared the poem in their personal networks.
鈥淲e鈥檙e really, really proud of him,鈥� said his mother Helen Reed on the phone with CTVNews.ca. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really touching that he鈥檚 impacted so widely with his words.鈥�
The response has encouraged the young artist to keep pursuing writing and poetry, which he was initially skeptical about. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely inspired me to keep writing,鈥� he said.
But he鈥檚 not sure what he鈥檒l dedicate his pen to next. 鈥淭rying to follow it up is going to be tough.鈥�
Read Joshua鈥檚 full poem below.
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One Thousand Men Are Walking
By Joshua Dyer
One thousand men are walking
Walking side by side
Singing songs from home
The spirit as their guide
they walk toward the light milord
they walk towards the sun
they smoke and laugh and smile together
no foes to outrun
these men live on forever
in the hearts of those they saved
a nation truly grateful
for the path of peace they paved
they march as friends and comrades
but they do not march for war
step closer to salvation
a tranquil steady corps
the meadows lit with golden beams
a beacon for the brave
the emerald grass untrampled
a reward for what they gave
they dream of those they left behind
and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields
there walks one thousand men
