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 Contemporary poetry by Dan Donlan

MEMORIAL DAY; JUST A BOY FAR FROM HOME

By Dan Donlan, www.PoetryPoem.com/dandy1    Unlock all Features - Upgrade to Poetry Prime

A VETERAN'S STORY

Yes, this is a rewrite
A poem written long ago
I share this with my Veteran brothers,
And sisters, and spouses
We did not serve alone
Thank you for your service!
Sixty years ago just memories
This veteran was just seventeen
I loved my country
a love shared with Grandpa
From the times just a child
We stood and saluted the flag
The Army Navy game he let me Navy
Grandp was a hero a ship builder
I told him then, "Grandpa, I'm
going to be a Marine
I want to be one of those special
few and proud men
guarding the freedom of this country
Those who stand saluting every flag that passed by
At seventeen I was too young,
Still in high school I begged
Mom had to sign the paperwork
I joined the Washington National Guard
I was rated a Ammo handler Radio operator
Grandpa was proud but I was not a Marine
With four friends we visited the Marine Recruiters
At six foot three they said I was too tall
Too tall to be in the Submarine corps
Grandpa at Todd's shipyard
Build Submarines for the war effort
I wore glasses bad eyesight deaf in one ear
I could not be a Marine the few the proud
It was disappointing to say the least
The Army wanted me so did the Air force
Off we go into the wild blue yonder
"Son you cannot see and have vertigo!"
But you can serve as a Medic
In the Air force I took medical training
At Great Lakes naval base Chicago Illinois
The same training Marine medic took their training
I left a good paying job at Boeing
I was now making $75 dollars a month
My younger Sister was two when I enlisted
Things were tough I sent the money home for Sis
I was just a young boy far from home when Grandpa died
A young boy homesick who cried all day
The military edited my letter edited out Grandpa died
Least i ask for leave to be at the funeral of the man who raised me
Who shared my dream of loyalty to my country
I am just one of thousand and thousand who sacrificed for my country
Luckier than most I came home with limbs
Luckier than some of my brothers who never came home
On Memorial day I honor my Veteran brothers
For the service they are giving their country
For it is not the Politicians that keep this country safe
It is boys like me scared and far from home
Older now I recently fell backwards down the stairs
The bill was denied saying I was not an active serviceman
We need to take care of our veterans who took care of us
Sometimes saying Thank you for your service is not enough
I well not mention all our poet veterans by name
Those that were boys and girls far from home like me
It is time to stop the Politicians from messing with Health care
As well as Medicare which they are planning to do
I was told I was refused because i had Medicare "A" and "B"
Health care that these dude and immigrants get for free
But the real insult was saying because I was not actively serving

 







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