One Mother's Sons

She bore five sons, strong young men, all volunteered way back then; the youngest lied about his age so he could join, engage the enemies of freedom's band, threatening the peace our land holds precious. They said good-bye to fight on land, sea, in sky. Part of the greatest generation, they fought the Axis federation. Many brave men did not return, their grieving families left to yearn, longing to find, to know one spot that is for them a sacred plot. Thousands of graves were never marked save in a mother's or wife's heart. Somehow my grandmother's boys were spared; death did not take them unprepared. Safely home came all five sons; the job complete, the war was won. But, it's never done for those who fight, the horrors in their minds recite round and round for scores of years: price exacted of our volunteers. Copyright, July 6, 2014 Faye Lanham Gibson