From France, Belgium,
The Czech Republic back to Munich
These are just a few of the places…
I was lucky enough to have been.
Living in a gated community,
Always the center of political controversy.
Every person is entitled to their opinion
, but some days I just don’t wanna hear it.
Don’t talk about things you can’t fully comprehend.
The things you want are never free,
You should feel blessed to be able to take it for granted.
From the eyes of a child it’s quite different.
I hear them talk about the war now,
The ten years it seemed dormant.
Everyone asks where was America then?
Battle stations under the seas,
Upon bases in the hills of Germany
Always there but not always seen.
Until it’s your father who’s sent to fight someone else’s battle.
You can’t know what it’s like to sit at home,
Six years old, the news blaring in the background,
Left behind, thinking your daddies out there
, but your not sure where.
And as you cry, unable to ask why,
Why are you being told to leave your friends behind?
Why do you have to get on another flight?
To a country you don’t know,
Please take some time,
Think of it from someone else’s scope.
Hidden behind stars and stripes,
It's often different through someone else's eyes.
Author notes
I'm not out to start any political debates with this, it's just how I feel sometimes when I hear about people discussing the war in Iraq. My father served in the Army for 24 years, his father in WW2 and my Mother's father served in Korea. My brother was in the AirForce and my cousin is currently in Iraq and a friend will soon be going. Families in the military don't travel as much as I used to have to (every three years), but protecting the country is not everyones choice. I'm lucky to have my Father throughout it all it could have been worse. I feel incredibly blessed but at the time it was confusing. It's not that I couldn't ask why...but with all the stress I just didn't, to make things a little easier for my mom.
-"Hidden behind stars and stripes"= the time I spent getting get past the memories, and also for all those who are fighting now but are not always appreciated (in reference to all the anit-war campaignes). It's sad that some can't appreciate what others are sacrificing for them.
Written January 6th, 2005
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Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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this is an amazing piece and testimony
thank you for sharing your side-what an excellent idea
to write about something you know about first hand
and not only is the message clear and real
it's heartfelt and beautifully done
ash -
well done
Very good writing. You should be glad that poem is liked. I really do like it. It was great. Great job on it! Keep up the good work.
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All the wars depress me i wrote a paper on how i can make a diffrence and it was like how i can put down the wall and the reason our cicioty So spelled that wrong and ways how it is messed up and that the youth of our nation is being brought down and stuff.... but we fight for stupid reasons we get sent away for stupid reasons... and people die, and famileys fall apart and i totally understand your veiw...sometimes when my parents watch the news i just go in my room and shut the door and when there listening at dinner i shut it off because BUSH is killing our youth... and our nation needs to come together and not fight so much and get everything together or we WILL have our world war 3 and everything all together will fall apart. sorry for the rambling your poem rocks ~wub yah!
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I'm glad that someone who understands what I went through came across this. Your experiance is from a different perspective of course. I know what my mom went through is different than how I percieved it. I have a lot of repsect for the armed forces but it comes with some pain. The last line was more in general. Thanks for reading and god bless always.
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I am an Air Force wife so this strikes a chord with me very deeply. We do not have to travel as much, but there is also seperation and other issues to deal with. I know you are not starting a political debate, but I will say that I do not "hide" behind stars and stripes, I wrap myself in them daily because I know that old glory cannot protect the world, but it does protect its own the best it can. We are the strongest nation, in my opinion the best. We are not always right.
Thanks for such an enlightening write and for saying things that many feel.
Blessed be
~~Serenity~~
Billie Jean -
I like the way this was written. Not really accusatory and bitchy, just a statement. I like it greatly.
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wow. this is really good.
my father served in the navy for 10
years, so i sort of know what you feel like
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