Sunday, March 20, 2011

Lady I Defend

Star Spangled, Etch point eyes,
cross hair to the cranium,
from both side,
tomorrows welcome,
fore tonight I die,

A philosopher and a peasant,
sat beneath a crumbling home,
next to the spot where mail once would go,
the wisdom transferred in that hour,
devoured all the knowledge
that boy had known,

My country, I honor you amidst the showers,
I devote my every hour,
my bountiful, I sacrifice my youthful days,
blessed I am to have seen lime coloring in this life,
tonight and for forever,
in dying I survive,

Beautiful lady, I confide,
my queen of liberty, in which I cry
I do not question, yet in this final moment,
left for me to honor you, I request your ear one last time,
I am dearly scared of what shall greet me on the other side




For this week at Open Link Monday at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, Kerry mentioned the idea of revisiting a poem that's gone forgotten, which was one of many options to consider this week.  So, because it is Memorial Day here in the States, I thought I'd look back through the archives and see about finding a piece that hopefully fit the Soldier theme I wanted, plus did go relatively forgotten.  This piece was one I originally posted in March of 2011, about a soldier's return.  Make sure you stop on over at Real Toads, check out all the great poetry on display at Open Link Monday, and while you're there, link up a poem of your own.

16 comments:

  1. A soldiers lot is a terrible sacrifice...

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  2. I very fitting tribute both to your country and, to Memorial day Fred.

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  3. A beautifully written tribute! Those doubts about our demise plague many of us, hard to imagine how those who willingly put themselves in harm's way deal with it.

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  4. excellent piece, well done

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  5. This is filled with real patriotism, and the bitter-sweet tone is perfect for our times. I found the second stanza particularly evocative.

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  6. Very poignant, touching to read here the soldier's thoughts at the time of his death....and everyone's fears of their own death, what shall greet one on the other side. Glad you rediscovered this piece.

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  7. So well written, the thoughts of a soldier's return. Well done, Fred.

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  8. a thoughtful poem, perfect for this day.

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  9. Well done--I especially loved the last stanza

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  10. "blessed I am to have seen lime coloring in this life,
    tonight and for forever,
    in dying I survive,"

    The latter of that...wow. Great writing Fred!

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  11. So powerful...so sad there are many who are ungrateful...don't have a clue to the sacrifices men and women have made for our freedom

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  12. this was hugely written, I loved the strength but adored the addition of the fear. This was a wonderful tribute and great writing my man. Loved it.

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  13. That blew me away! Those last lines...bang!

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  14. Such a powerful and timely poem here. Takes my breath away.

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  15. the story can't be told enough.

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  16. there's an internal rhyme that is wonderful

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