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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author notes
Written February 11th, 2002
In a list
- tragedy poems • next in list
- *Poems to ponder, and through your mind wander, if an hour you'll squander!* • next in list
A contest entry
- Give me your best ! by vasi.
700 points, ended March 10, 2007, 123 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 24 of 24
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I like nothing about war...
Save this poem. Thank you
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Thank you so much
This excellent in every positive meaning of the word poem made me cry - the "grave" (double meaning not intended but fitting) symbolism you interweave with the positive moments in life (marriage, dancing) in direct neighbourhood to the bare cruelty you write about - this is so breathtakingly beautifully put into words that I did not know you could create this. full points.
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Güzel bir şiir okudum. Teşekkür ederim.
(Very nice. Thanks your heart. -
This poem deeply moved me, so perfectly portraying the wounds war leaves, the victims it claims, not just the fallen, but those left behind. War, from the beginning of time til now has not changed it still does the damage. This is a wonderful tribute to all soldiers present and past (this is all that keeps their deaths from having been in vain). Excelent flow and rhyme and message.
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Forgot you have over a 100 lines I'll add 5 bonus points putting you at 90/100. I need to also give you another applaud
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I'm going to be perfectly honest with you when I say this is one the most inspiring things I have ever read. It should do well in my contest. Going over the 5 categories of judgement you did great in creativity ( I loved how you displayed battle scenes from every war), pretty good in imagery. ( Good description for most part) It had a pretty good flow I like how every once in a while something rhymed a pretty good lasting impact the only thing is that Metaphor etc. category you didn't do so well in. Out of the contest it is truly inspiring and I do perfer war poems over others but I can't grade that way, I already made my grading scale. Oh yea I love the title. Great poem and great support to all those troops doing higher officals dirty work. I'm going to give you your points right now.
Echoes of war...centuries of blight. 85/100
Creativity: 19/20
Imagery: 17/20
Flow: 17/20
Metaphor etc. 9/15
Lasting Impact 22/25
With a metaphor or a simile here or ther you could have gotten a little closer to a perfect score. Thanks for entering and that is top so far. Keep on writing.
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Thanks for all of your kind comments and point scores...Artis
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This poem absolutely needed to be read by me. It needs to be read by everyone. This poem has blown me away! I can now somewhat understand what it is like to be involved in war. I have always pushed war to the back of my mind and tried to live in my own little safe world. Thank you. I absolutely needed to read this poem. I have so much respect for you and your poetry. Wow!
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i am amazed by this poem. the way you presented the truths of what war does to lives is astounding. the stanza about the husband and wife and the way you wove marriage vows into your poetry really left me speechless. this is simply wonderful. a masterpiece. thank you for sharing this with us.
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This is a great piece by any standard. It is not a slave to verse yet entwines around it. Nice work indeed.
David -
This is a great write. You have pointed out all the horrors of war so well. The only thing lacking is a firm voice saying never again. That's the one thing I want to hear sounded from the rooftops and written in the skies. No more war. Never, never, never, never again. I hope you aren't out there on the front lines anywhere, but if you are, I hope you're called home while you are still able to come home in one piece.
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TREMENDOUS
You left me speakless.You were amazing.This is much more than just an oppinion, this is your heart and toughts filtered through your logic and patriotic feel.You know what it means for a family to let their loved ones, eighter a husband or a child or a brother, to go to war, knowing they may never come back, and barely holding to the principle that from all those out there it's improbable to be them.And still, even knowing all this, the patriot in you and the love for your country, tells you that this is the risk you are willing to asume, but you will do all that is possible for all of them to come back.
The stanza in wich you took the oughts of a husband and a wife, and gived them a whole new dimenssion, is the one I like the best. I could continue to speak about this poem until my final day, or until the day, I too, will be sumoned to make this sacrifice for my country, eighter through my self or my child or father.I cannot even begin to show my gratitude for you entering this poem in my humble contest, I'm not sure it fits, for this is a huge accomplishment and my contest ia just one step in my search to completion (which is at the merely beginning).I'm afraid you will have to do with "THANKS", for I can do nothing more.The good luck is not needed in this condition, for it will mean you are still under my judgement, while you are not, for it will mean you still depend on me in this contest, while you are not, and I want to tell you that no matter the results of this, no matter the place you will stand in the final, you are the true winner of this.Thank you again...
Edited on May 08, 5:51 because ''. -
Goodness... I have been so intrigued in every poem you have posted! another fab write..
good luck! and thanks again! ^_^ x 
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damn you artis you made me cry...I hope this wins Gold.. I sat and pictured my friends, I have lost two in Iraq, and I am bawling like a baby.. For you see Javier will leave Oct 14" then off to war
know that your husbands left for "Honor" too
they "Cherished" their homeland, both "rich and poor "
ah I cherish him, and the day he came home in DCU'S is the day my heart slowed its beat. You have wrote a very very moving piece Poet.. Catressa -
awesome
That was...just wow! I love anything about war and that moved me so much. wow! -
Good Heavens! This was one if the most moving pieces I have ever read on the affects of war. You have totally captured every phase and form of damage and geartbreak that assaults the lives of others during tumultuous times. This is definitely worthy of a trophy. Awesome writing!
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This poem is really well-written. It's so heartfelt and in-depth.
I love the title, and the ending is really strong. The format is good too.
My favorite part:
"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"
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Crying, my grandfather is a WWII veteran and he fought in the Korean War, and this poem is just WOW. My cousin is now in the Marines, and when he gets shipped out I worry, you have done them all well, and such a great justice, you truly have a big heart.
Carrie -
omg that made me cry my boyfriend is a marine... ex boyfriend but still care. this was extreamly moving. im at a lost for words. marines an every form of men an women who fight for us has a soft spot for me in my heart forever. its so sad that they dont come back but i know myself that wanted to go an fight for us all. so im turn i shouldnt be sad but glad im an amercian, born free, but all that we lose in this fightin an blood shed. excellent poem. very moving. i just dont think you understand how much this ment to me wit my speechless words this was great ima mark this.keep writing.
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Incredible! There is so much great talent here. Worth all the words.
Carl IV -
WOW!!! So packed with emotion..Thank you for writing such a moving piece...absolutely superb!!!!!!!
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I guess you just had to be in it to feel the truest emotion. Thank you for sharing what so many of us can only perceive.
This touches the heart. Peace...... MS -
WOW!!! Goosebumps! This is excellent and touching.
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Artis, this is very moving.. you said so much, your heart shows here...
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