Details |
Tim Collins Poem
They didn't ask for pity - they didn't ask for praise!
They didn't ask for medals - or military parade!
They didn't ask for sorrow - when we laid them in their graves!
And they didn't ask to be hero's - but that's what they became,
When Johnny, came marching home!
When Johnny came marching home that day, "OO-RAH"! "OO-RAH"!
They gave him NO hearty welcome then, "OO-RAH"! "OO-RAH"!
Yes some men did shout and women spat, and the boys with clout, they all turned
out,
They were ALL so brave then, when Johnny came marching home!
But those who spat and the boys with clout did not know what they spoke about,
but they all came out to blame Johnny for marching home!
They all came out to blame Johnny for coming home!
Yes, they were ALL, SO BRAVE, when Johnny came marching home on crutches
with just one leg that day! "OO-RAH" SOLDIER!
We promised we'd take care of them but
Somehow those noble words, like one old soldier said,
Don't die, they just fade away!
Which one of you would have held a dying friend, all through that God-less night,
Bleeding, crying, dying, after a bloody fire-fight,
Trying the best you could to call in a Huey, and get him on a medevac flight at first
light! Which one of you would have pick-up that fallen soldiers gun and just kept
going on?
Which one of you would have fought again, until the battles won!
Instead we built a wall of stone / for the soldiers who did fall / then carved their
names upon it, and called that welcome home!
They fought for the red, white and blue, all American soldiers, who fought for the
red, white and YOU!
And a family waits with pride, see, they just got word, only two more days and
he'd be coming home for good. Then at the door, two soldiers stood in the shadow
of twilights glow, it seemed so surreal, but also apropos.
With folded flag, of the stars and stripes in hand, at attention they did stand.
Then, with solemn grace and dignity said the words all families dread!
"On behalf of a grateful nation, he fought the bravest fight"!
But with deepest sympathy, your soldier-son, won't be coming home tonight!
They didn't ask for pity - they didn't ask for praise!
They didn't ask to be hero's - but that's what they became!
Copyright © Tim Collins | Year Posted 2015
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Details |
Tim Collins Poem
You Wash and I'll Dry!
You wash and I'll dry!,,,, were the words that he spoke,
You wash and I'll dry,,,, you had me, the first time you spoke,
You meant you loved me, with words never spoke,
You wash and I'll dry, that was always our little joke!
You wash and I'll try,,,, lets do this, side by side,
You wash and I'll try,,,, to dry all the tears from your eyes,,,,,,,,,
He promised to love me, to be my best friend,
But, one day he said some things, he swore he never would,
He asked me to forgive, for words he never meant,
Then he dried my tears with his sleeve, before we went to bed!
The years flew by, we struggled and we worked,
We loved and we laughed,
Then the kids came along, more worry, more fuss, But
But then one day, his job went bust, and he lost hope,
Even when I spoke,,,, our little joke.
You wash and I'll dry,,,,,all the tears from your eyes,
You wash and I'll dry, side by side,
You wash and I'll dry,,,,, it was our little joke"!
Then one night, a terrible fight,
I raised my voice,,,,,, he raised his hand,
for things, we could not understand!
The sorrow and shame, the pity the pain,
It looked like was this was the end, of the game,,,,
He would not bend, refused all blame,
So one last time, I said in vain, "you wash and I'll dry",,,,,,
But this time,,,,,, there came no reply!
He said our little joke,,,,,,, was all a big lie,
And he walked out on me, with a final,,,,,, "GOODBYE"!
Now, there was no one, to dry ALL the tears, I was all alone!
You wash and I'll dry,,,,,all the tears from your eyes,
You wash and I'll dry, that's how we coped,
You wash and I'll dry,,,,, it was always our little joke"!
The days passed liked months, I wanted to die,
I was out of my head,
Then he called, "this can't be the end"!
Could he come back home, and try again?
"You wash, and I'll dry"!,,,,,,, "that's all that I said"!
With tears in my voice, as I lay all alone in our bed,
Alone in our bed, and then he said, "you wash,,,, and I'll "TRY"!
But he didn't know of that fateful call,
He didn't know, he didn't have long at all,
So he didn't know why,,,,,, when I started to cry,
But he had to know, he was always my best guy!
So this time I said, we'll "BOTH TRY",
We'll get through this together,,,, side-by side,
Just like we did, so many times,
He had to know, he was always my guy,
I'll love you forever, till the day we both die!
"You - wash - and - I'll - dry all the tears from your eyes,
"You had me the first time you spoke, our little joke.
Then he looked in my eyes, and softly spoke,
"This time, you'll have to wash and you'll have to dry, please don't cry,
No more tears and no more jokes, as long as I'm always your best guy!
And those were the last words my guy ever spoke!
END!
By: Timothy R. Collins, Copyright (C) 2016.
Copyright © Tim Collins | Year Posted 2016
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