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 Contemporary poetry by Dan Donlan

A YOUNG BOY FAR FROM HOME


This is a rewrite of a poem I wrote a few years back. I know
veteran's day is past. But for me and those who served every day
might be a day to remember Veterans. I read the Country poets touching
poem and I was touched by the picture of the Soldier guarding the tomb
of the unknown soldier. You see so many soldiers came after me. In my
poem I mention my four year old sister. Her son later was a Marine
guarding walking in the same spot and guarded the tomb of the unknown soldier
You're a year out of high school

In high school you joined the
Washington National Guard only a kid
in the Army but the Marines needed
a few good men you had a good job good pay
You were building Boeing Airplanes
Your Sister was four years old and
you wanted the world safe for her
No one in your family had served the military
You build up courage to tell Mom
"Mom I am going to be a Marine!"
Expecting residence she was proud
"I'm going to be in the submarine corps!"
"Son you are six foot three too tall"
Off we go into the wild blue yonder!
You cannot fly you are nearly deaf in one ear
But that would not stop you from being a medic
And you remember the day that plane crashed
As a medic you ran from the emergency room to help
You rushed only to see the plane explode
The pilot dying in front of your eyes
You watched more than one man die
Barely nineteen years old in another country
You found yourself 30 kilometers from the DMZ
The road in front of you torn up by bullets
You're ambulance surrounded by armed soldiers.
You learned the lesson no soldier is not scared
But you made it home and you were alive
You see I was that boy along way from home
This memorial is for those not as lucky as you
Those that did not make it home just as afraid as you
It is not for the love poet--for the Veterans
On Memorial and Veteran's day you proudly salute the flag
Not just one first shown every flag that passes by
Not just at ballgames and parades passing by
You remember a friend who did not make it home
And some just as frightened coming home in a casket
These are the heroes I salute on Veterans day
It is not the politician it is the Veteran who keeps this
country safe and for me every day I salute the flag
For you see I was the scared boy far from home
Every day there are veterans protecting us and every
day there is a boy far from home scared but defending America.









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