I offer this poem in sadness and hope you will join me in taking a moment of silence and a prayer
for all the young men and women who gave their lives for US..
THIS WAS INSPIRED BY THE WORDS OF A SOLDIER. PROMISING HIS WIFE HIS TOUR TO IRAQ, WOULD BE THE
LAST TIME HE WOULD LEAVE HER AND THE KIDS. HE WAS RETIRING WHEN HE CAME BACK.
~THE LAST TIME I GO AWAY~
THE DOCTORS SAID HE SHOULD DELAY
GOING AWAY.
HIS WIFE HAS CANCER, NEEDS HIM AT HOME
BUT HE TRAINED THESE YOUNG BOYS
CAN'T SEND THEM ALONE...
THEY ARE ALL SCARED
OF WHAT THEY'LL FACE THERE
HE JUST CAN'T LET THEM GO
WITH ONLY HIS PRAYERS...
HIS WIFE SAID, THEY ARE FILLED WITH FRIGHT
GO AHEAD...I'LL BE ALRIGHT
HE PROMISED HER, HE'D WRITE EACH NIGHT
HE HAD TO GO, IT WAS ONLY RIGHT..
HE'D BEEN TO NAM
THE PERSIAN GULF
HE WAS HEALTHY
IT WON'T BE SO TOUGH..
SO AMONG THE TEARS THEY SHARED THAT DAY
THEY SAID GOODBYE, AND HE BOARDED THE PLANE
HIS 19 YEAR OLD SON
WAS GOING TOO, PLEASE MOMMA, DON'T BE BLUE..
IT WON'T LAST LONG
WE'LL BE HOME TO YOU..
HIS MAIL AND CALLS DIDN'T GIVE A HINT
OF ANYTHING REALLY BAD, HE'D MET
THEY WERE FINE, WOULD BE HOME SOON
GOING ON A TRIP, IN A MONTH OR TWO..
TO THE CARIBIEEN, TO SEE THE BLUE SEA
CELEBRATE RETIREMENT, AND JUST TOGETHERNESS AS "WE"
SHE WAS PACKING THEIR BAGS
WHEN THE KNOCK CAME ON THE DOOR
ONE OF THEM HAD BEEN KILLED
CAN'T COME HOME NO MORE
DAD HAD DIED IN THE ARMS OF HIS SON
AMBUSHED ON THE ROAD, IN A TANK THAT WOULDN'T RUN
DREAMS NOW LEFT, 32 YEARS NOW GONE
"DADDY" SHE CALLED HIM, WAS NOW TAKEN HOME..
TO A PLACE WITH BEAUTY AND GRACE
WHERE WINGS ARE USED OF FEATHERS AND LACE
WHERE CHILDREN PLAY WITHOUT ANY PAIN
WHERE OLD FRIENDS MEET AND TALK OF BASEBALL GAMES..
YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO COME BACK HOME
I'M VERY ANGRY, NOW I AM HERE ALL ALONE
NO ONE STOPS BY TO CHECK ON ME
I DON'T HEAR YOUR LAUGHS FILLED WITH GLEE..
OUR SON DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYMORE
HE SAYS BY GOING, YOU WERE KNOCKING ON THE DEVILS DOOR
THE LAST THING YOU SAID TO HIM, "TELL MOMMA I LOVE HER"
"I WILL SEE HER AGAIN" AS YOU CLOSED YOUR EYES
FOR THE VERY LAST TIME..
