29th April 1945

29th April 1945

A poem about Manna food drops with a photo of Lancasters dropping food.

1945

One printed sheet

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29th April 1945

Swarms of swallows bringing food
Visions of victory,
Thoughts of freedom
For the starving,
For the powerless,
For the discouraged ones.
They all laugh and cry . . .

They waved from bridges
From canals
From squares and viaducts
They climbed on roof tops
Once bended down they straightened their backs again
And shook hands

And cheered at every place
For this was a miracle
Salvation from above
Manna-rain
Bringing relief, true blessing
Mighty moment
We waited for months to see it

Elisabeth van Maasdijk
(from ‘To the ones who fell’, The Hague 1945)

[black and white photograph of Lancasters flying over rooftops dropping food]