To all those tiny waifs faces upturned
their eyes so new to absence, moist with tears
girls holding tight with trembling lips
young lads who clung with earnest grips
upon their Daddies legs refusing to let go
then wailing with dismay at his goodbyes
throughout the centuries war has been a blight
their crying caught in check when his voice spoke
to promise them that he would be back soon
he turned and walked away to fight a war
and vanished in the smoke and flames unleashed
I speak for precious children left behind
his promise lives, someday you'll be rejoined
beyond the dust of graves...and Dads denied.
To all the Moms, and Dads who gave much more
then any cause should ask of them to give
this boy they nurtured, smiling as he grew
then frowning as the war drums banged their toll
their dreams for sons did not include a trip
to battle zones, to risk both life, and limb
but patriots they touched his uniform
they kissed his cheek, and hugged him one more time
then sent him whole, and healthy off to fight
but got back telegrams...and body bags
some shiny medals, and some folded flags
plus monstrous gaping holes left in their souls
wherein echoed the words of his farewell,
"Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'll see you soon."
and in a sense his words they still ring true
for when his parent's hearts they cease to ache
they'll find him standing tall at heavens gate
awaiting their return, so patiently
he'll welcome them at last, forever home.
To all those wives who watched their vows dissolve
much earlier then they could ever fathom
by shrapnel, bullets, bayonets, and swords
"Death did them part..." upon some foreign shore
each marriage formed ironic parallels
Your husbands "marched down aisles"...then off to war
know that your husbands left for "Honor" too
they "Cherished" their homeland, both "rich and poor"
in "Sickness, and in health" sworn to defend
"For better, or for worse" they stood their ground.
"United as one" each platoon advanced
on bended knees they fell for sacred vows
and know that in their final, ragged breath
they whispered your names with great reverence
your last kiss lingered sweetly on their lips
your memories cradled them to paradise
where someday God again will join your hands
renewing love that "NONE" will put asunder
and "Thank You" for your greatest sacrifice.
To all young men who gave up hopes for love,
Young saplings caught by thunder from above,
those tall and strong who faced wars cruelest winds,
when I.E.D.s and bombs removed thier limbs,
sent home to sit as veterans alone,
just trunks with souls in wards where love's postponed,
or burned in fiery blasts that scorched thier skin,
beyond all hopes of passion, they sit in,
wheelchairs and watch the pretty nurses tend,
the kind of wounds society can't mend,
they gave up wives, or lovers and remain,
an object women pity, but refrain,
from ever viewing as someone to love,
destroying all the joys that men dream of,
I've walked the rows of beds where these men lay,
And seen despair across their face convey,
the wish that they could all be whole like me,
They faced the fall, as wartime stole thier leaves,
to come back home, and find love that relieves,
the pains of being maimed, for them I grieve,
more then even those who died, this I believe,
for I have arms to hold, and legs to dance,
and all my parts to share in sweet romance,
but they have single beds where they will be,
sad victims most folks never want to see.
To all brave men who fought ...these words salute
Brothers-in-arms who stood answering the call
who lost their friends to crippling, sudden blasts
or choked on nerve, or blood, or mustard gas
as well as victims crushed by Agent Orange
the years "Still" stake their claim, the death tolls rise
to those who lost their limbs, and normal lives
or fell to drugs, disease, or suicides
to all who faced the British musket balls
and those who fought for union in our land
and those who sat entrenched against the Huns
or belly crawled through sands at Normandy
or scaled the lava crusts of Iwo Jima
or shivered in the Chosin Reservoir
or night patrolled jungles in Vietnam
or faced the toxic winds of Desert storm
or fell in flames on mountains of Afghan
or took the bullet's puncture in Iraq
each year we send more and they don't come back
this poem's for you, your brothers gather yearly
to guarantee you'll never be forgotten
and when at last they "Fall out" from this life
they'll join your ranks, "At Ease" on heaven's shores
in glory, honored, peace at long last granted
free from the pains of war forevermore.
To all prisoners of war...and M.I.A.'s
I offer you these humble words, and song
our hopes for your return...they slip away
for you've remained in limbo far too long
unknown the place you fell, but still we care
you haunt our thoughts, this is our solemn prayer
"As long as there are men who have a voice
recovery teams will search, it is our choice
as veterans we always must demand
a true accounting brought for every man
return the fallen, here to their homeland
for them anything less......it would be wrong
I close now with my old familiar song...
the lyrics that I wrote to sing with..(Taps)
" Rest in Peace....Brave young men
free from sorrow, and pain....battle spent
from your humble graves, so alone
We shall come....and we'll carry you....Home."
~~~~~~~~~Artis-_U.S.Marines~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read Me, Bleed me Feed Me!
I have almost 4,000 poems, and many people who view them daily. Comments are found often on my work but many others view a poem and don't comment.
This has gotten to be a pattern. so I am holding a contest to award 1000 points to the person who studies the two poems posted below and then writes the very best poetic response on them.
I have given out over 10,000 responses in my tenure here, and thoroughly enjoy giving and getting.
So surprise me with your understanding, your honest take on what I have crafted, and your feelings about what the poems offers or means.
Please no pre-written work as that would most certainly not fit the moment of each poems impact.
Such an easy thing to do, read two and respond with your heart and soul. I wonder why it's beginning to become a lost art here.
So jump in, scan my set of poems and write about whatever catches your heart. Then catch mine with your words of brilliance in reply.
* Please enter your poetic responses in the new poems entry box, Thanks for entering~Artis
*PLEASE PUT YOUR A.P. NAME IN THE AUTHOR'S NOTES BOX.
Reach deep...the topics are heartbreaking.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poem # 1-
Echoes Of War.. Centuries Of Blight.
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Poem # 2-
Totally stumped by it all!
They sit in institutions of despair, surrounded by puke green rooms. Strapped in wheeled chairs awaiting anything but their own endless glances, at their stumps for feet, roasted flesh for faces, nubs for hands and scar tissue for testicles. Some gaze one eyed wishing they could jack-off, but only elbow stumps rest on padded arms, and some no longer have the genitals to fondle if they could. Hours pass tick, tick, tick as imaginary feet, legs arms, hands and balls throb throb throb. Over twenty some thousand maimed for the liberation of Iraq, many hundreds of them stuffed in V.A. hospitals and unable to wave flags, cause they can't hold the stick. Unable even to vote out the man who helped them come back to the states Back to the states of being crippled blinded and maimed. No parades here, no young ladies looking for a heroic kiss, Most look away and shudder when they do happen by. Purple hearts do not address purple hard ons, and handiwipes lie useless on the bedside tables. A pair of Socks is a misnomer, and there's no one there to wipe the tears, and so they sit day after day out of public view, totally stumped by it all. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Artis |
Contest is Over
- Contest was judged on September 4, 2008
- Rewards: Gold: 1000, Silver: 200, Bronze: 100, Honorable mention: 50 people
- Final notes: Thanks for you comments both caring and full of the knowledge of the horror of war.
It is truly appreciated by me~~~Artis
- To judge this contest, you need to have at least as many finalists as you have rewards. You have 4 awards but only 3 finalists.
Contest Winners
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Just a long time passing but they haven't gone to graveyards ... yet.• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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Poem one then, "Echoes of war...centuries of blight". To analyse such a long and multilayerd poem such as this one is never going to be a small task as there is simply so much one can comment on. It's difficult to choose wher• Commented on by judge. [remove]
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by toomysterious 30 lines, 3 comments, on Aug 22 12:54 AM 2008. In thoughts, contest
Bronze trophy winner
• Commented on by judge. [remove]
Gold trophy winner
Silver trophy winner
Entries [4]
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Comments
1 - 6 of 6
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Artis
You can blame the site for the deterioration of responses. Was a time that you almost had to acknowledge a comment. Now you click a star and send the comment back to the sender intact with 5-6 points almost like a rejection notice from New Yorker magazine. You do it yourself! You've done it to me many times. You didn't always, you used to answer a comment if you liked it, and if you didn't like it, you'd be back at me in a flash. I'd rather someone not acknowledge my comments than sending me back a copy of my own with ten points.
That's where all the flowered comments have gone, long time ago. When, oh when, will we ever learn?
John
XLNT stuff!!
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Nice and probably truthful comment you left here. It is also disappointing that no one returns the favor by reading and commenting on works of those who have taken time to comment on them Generic thanks and stars don't cut it. We all like to have our contributions acknowledged.
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I will be back!!
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Thanks
It was a pleasure to comment on these poems and i've no doubt of thier power to reduce anyone to tears, I got a bit misty-eyed myself just reading them. Too many 'ands' aside they are wonderful poems and I only wish one day to have a tenth of your skill.
FeliX -
Also Artis
I did not enter here because I have a rule not to go into contests run by favorites, anonymous or no.
Good luck and have fun!
John -
Congratulations to the winners! Thank you Artis, it is always a pleasure responding to your work. You keep my on my toes, I like that!
~Michelle~
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