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| Poetry Corner | ||||||||||||||||||||
| On Eagles Wings An Eagle flew into my dreams last night... On mighty wings we two took flight. Soaring free up in the sky, we touched the clouds... This friend and I. Higher and Higher we did soar... Freedom and peace was mine once more. He showed me visions of what could be... The choice he said, was up to me. We flew once more around the sun... A bright new journey now begun. An eagle flew into my dreams last night... On his wings I saw Spirits Light. D.A. Claudio Copyright 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| For Memories Go! Go my child. Go into the world. Find all the knowledge that you can devour each book that comes your way. Store in your mind. But, save a corner of that mind For memories Of the things you say and do. Then one day in winter’s chill You may sit before a fire Open that corner of your mind As if it were a book. Recall the things you said and did And Laugh at the fool you were. Then as a tear comes to your eye Say,“Yes’ For more information on the works by Don Laura Yates, or how to obtain the entire collection of For Memories. She can be contacted at the following e-mail address. Don Laura Yates l_yates@sbncglobal.net | |||||||||||||||||||||
| You Waited He went off to war and left you waiting here, With the heartaches, the worries, the pain and the fear. Not knowing if you would ever see him again, You stood bravely as he boarded his plane. You held him close as you said your goodbyes, Then averted your face to hide the pain in your eyes. You returned back home with heart of lead. Not wanting to face that cold empty bed, Where, in his arms you used to sleep. Then you broke down and began to weep. You anxiously waited for the postman to come, With that letter from your dearest loved one. Waiting each day, slowly going insane, Wanting his arms to hold you again. All through that wait, you endured the pain, Hoping 'gainst hope that it wasn't in vain. Finally he returns and is safe at home, Promising you never more will he roam. Back in your arms and safe at last, That awful waiting is now in the past. Now the waiting is over but the memories remain, And every so often they haunt you again. All you who waited, stand tall, walk proud, You too are heroes, standing out from the crowd. You stayed faithful, loyal and true, So here is my tribute, just to you. 28 July 1998 For my dear friend Sharon (TShooters) and all who like her endured the agony of waiting for their man to come home from war. Lee O'Neill uruz@downunder.net.au | |||||||||||||||||||||
| MY SOLDIER CAME HOME FROM NAM My soldier came home from Nam. The memory of that hellish war still haunts him thirty years later. The scenes of blood and gore still invade his mind. He remembers seeing dead comrades in body bags. He helped count the dead and load them onto the noisy choppers. The sound of the choppers has never left his mind. The smell of the dead has never left his senses. My soldier came home from Nam. There are memories of many sleepless nights spent guarding the platoon, His sleep a restless one, The slightest sound in the bush a cause for terror. Once home, he continued to jump at noises in the night. I could not comfort him as he lay cradled in my arms My soldier came home from Nam. The days were long and hot in the field. The rainy season was wet and dirty. The sound of rain brings unpleasant thoughts, as he recalls a unquenchable thirst, the polluted springs, canteens filled with rain My soldier came home from Nam. His many medals given for courage mock his survival. My soldier came home with the killer instinct still in his veins, with anger in his heart. His anger from the forgotten war still stews in a porridge of pain. By Mary Lou Adams, Copyrighted marylou_adams@msn.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The Final Inspection The soldier stood and faced God Which must always come to pass He hoped his shoes were shining Just as brightly as his brass "Step Forward Now, You Soldier How shall I deal with you? Have you always turned the other cheek To the Church have you been true? The Soldier squared his shoulders and said, "No Lord, I guess I ain't because those of us who carry guns Can't always be a Saint. I've had to work most Sundays And at times my talk was tough And sometimes I've been violent, Because the world is awfully rough. But, I never took a penny That wasn't mine to keep.... Though I worked a lot of overtime When the bills got just too steep, And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear, And sometimes, God forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears. I know I don't deserve a place Among the people here, They never wanted me around Except to calm their fears If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand, I never expected or had too much, But if you don't I'll understand." There was a silence all around the Throne Where the Saints had often trod As the soldier waited quietly For the Judgment of his God "Step forward now, you soldier, You've borne your burdens well, Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, You've done your time in Hell." To all who have served their country Wayne Gunter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| A SOLDIER'S PAIN The pain of a thousand Veterans in my ears, Paltalk brings me To tears---------- Wanting to share Wanting to care As if tears can wash Away the ravages of war Gone to serve Gone to say an oath. To serve God and Country. Not wanting to die- But suffering worse- To live when close Friends die instead. Bitter feelings of Coming home. Of why me not him? Then the country Turning Treason on Vets Who served proudly. Wondering Wondering. Confusion! Anger with our Country and our people Who forced us T o go to war. Who drafted us Into service, then rejected us For serving! Confusion! What did we do wrong? Serve proudly? Yes we did!! Fight bravely? Yes we did!! We are the proud. We are the ones. Our country has broken us Even when the enemy Could not. We were defeated, not by Vietnam But by the USA. We were defeated By our own family, Friends, loved ones And all those who Did not support us Like Hanoi Jane Fonda! You broke our hearts And our minds. Our bodies And our spirits--- More than the bullets Killed us on the battlefield. Your words and actions Killed us When we returned to you. You spat on us!! You rejected us!! Then accepted with honor Those who ran to Canada To avoid duty. You took our honor And gave it to traitors!! And Gave us shame!! Through our depression A strange thing happened. We awoke--- This sleepy thing Called Veterans And we united. All Branches of service Blended Together as one. As an armed forces combined. To give comfort And caring and sharing. We will overcome! We will be proud! We will hold our heads high! Through our shame we have arisen! And As a force of one army We shall change People! We shall change Thoughts! We shall defeat all those Who tried to shame us. We stand proud And say this to our Country---- You have stained the flag With the blood of our fallen Brothers and Sisters! You have made Veterans take their own lives After they returned home! Their blood is on your hands now. Because when you shame us---- You also shame yourselves Because, my friends- We are you!! We are your Sons and Daughters Your Grandsons and Granddaughters We are your Aunts and your Uncles We are your Cousins We are your Brothers and Sisters We are your Loved Ones. We are in essence YOU Now who has the shame? Now who has the pain? Not us! We finally hold our heads high And say proudly to you--- Yes we are Vietnam Veterans!!! We are the ones Who fought the fight! We never ran We never crawled away---- Even though, by God, sometimes we wanted to We tasted fear--- As all soldiers do We overcame our enemies over there And now We will overcome You. Perhaps if only one thing happens From this event And then we will be proud of America. May America never again be ashamed Of her Vets who proudly Served and Died. But more importantly---- May the Vets who proudly Served and Died For their Country NEVER AGAIN BE ASHAMED OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY AMERICA!!!! Rich Young - Aka Guncarver on Paltalk Guncarver@cableone.net Guncarver@Hotmaiil.com Vietnam Veteran ----- Proudly Served USN 1967-68 TET Clarkston, Wa. 20001 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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