In the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month...
Originally, this was a day to celebrate the end of a war. Today, we celebrate those who fight for us. I wish we could do away with such a day. That there would be an end to the horrors of war. I wish....
Today, I honor my father who was a soldier, a cop, a farmer, a cook, a writer, a man who will live forever in my memory. The following is a poem of his taken from his book "Memories Along the Tuscarora". He wrote it in 1988 about the WWI veterans, but dedicated it to all soldiers.
"The Old Veteran"
Seventy years ago, he was young and proud.
Now he lives in the home, just one of the crowd.
Does anyone remember what happened this day?
Does anyone care as they go on their way?
Yes, he remembers the uniform he wore
As he fought in a battle on a distant shore.
His country's flag, he remembers with pride.
He remembers the men who fought by his side.
Ah, it is all past now, an many forgot
that he was a hero, believe it or not.
He carried that flag in Balleau Wood
And on November the eleventh, with it he stood.
One of the proud victors of that war.
He remembers this and so much more.
He remembers his friends who died over there.
No wonder he weeps for someone to care.
So give him a smile as you pass him by.
If you have the time, hold his and and try,
try to imagine him when he was there.
Try at least to show that you really care.
Ture, other wars were fought since then
And other heroes there have been,
but that does not lessn his duty there
of keeping our country so free and fair.
John Reisinger (1926-2000)
c 1988
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
4 comments:
Wonderful blog!
I too am the daughter of a service member turned cop - my da was in the Navy on the destroyer USS Waddell, he was a Menomonie Falls Wi cop and now works as a sup in the BIW shipyards in ME building navy ships. Your da's poem was very mopving - really makes you stop & think. I now work for Tricare, have for the past 5 years, and I intend to thank every single beneficiary caller today for their service to their country!
What a lovely post! Thanks for sharing and for reminding us, especially on Veterans Day, all that while it sometimes might be reduced to a cliche, that old saying about Freedom not being free is too, too true.
We've adopted three deployed soldiers (actually, a soldier, a sailor, and an airman) through the Soldiers Angels,organization and there's not a day that goes by that we don't think of them. And worry. Even as we're so grateful they're willing to stand in harm's way so the rest of us don't have to.
Mine was a serviceman turned auto worker--but I'm printing this out to give him when I see him this afternoon. Just beautiful, Vicky.
Post a Comment