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About This Poem

He Was My Sun

He was my sun, my one and only son,
and dressed up as a cowboy for the day.
And so I handed him a little gun
of fastened random sticks, for him to shoot and play.

And dressed up as a cowboy for the day
he found some foes (with bows and arrows made
of fastened random sticks for them) to shoot, and play
the part of redskins in a mock charade.

He found some foes (with bows and arrows made)
in his story books before he left for school.
The parts of redskins, in a mock charade,
were painted with a crimson war paint, oh so cruel.

In history books, before he left from school -
the tales they told, of victories that we’d won,
were painted with a crimson war paint, oh so cruel -
the flow of paint was hard to staunch when once begun.

From tales they told, of victories that we’d won,
he learned to fight for god and country glory, though
the flow of pain, ’twas hard to staunch when once begun
and cruel to both sides (as he’d later come to know).

He learned to fight for god and country glory, though
the wounds of war were still unseen (though nigh)
and cruel to both sides (as we’d later come to know);
and soon he stuffed his bag with several things of youth and said goodbye.

The wounds of war were still unseen. Though nigh,
the hours boomed, the clock struck 12, before his time to leave,
and soon he stuffed his bag with several things of youth and said goodbye
to those who’d stay and even those who didn’t grieve.

The hours boomed, the clock struck 12, before his time to leave -
they brought back bags they’d stuffed with severed things of those who’d died
to those who’d stayed. And even those who didn’t grieve
with tears were stiff, and hid in wooden boxes meant to hide.

They brought back bags they’d stuffed with severed things of those who’d died.
They brought his boots back, camouflaged with mud.
With tears, the stiff were hid in wooden boxes meant to hide
our children from the spilling of their blood.

They brought his boots back, camouflaged with mud.
They said they’d needed him to help defend
our children from the spilling of their blood.
But can they ever see or really comprehend?

They said they’d needed him to help defend,
and so they handed him a little gun.
But can they ever see or really comprehend?
He was my sun, my one and only son...


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  1. Date: 5/6/2013 11:34:00 PM

    WOW! You have touched me yet again with your fabulous writing skills. I love how you took the make belief of cowboys and Indians to the real world of war and blood shed. You've mastered this difficult form to a tee and brought it back full circle with ease. Faving this one!

  1. Date: 4/11/2013 5:43:00 PM

    Amazing form you've mastered here and the story cut to the bone. You put me on an emotional rollercoaster with everything you write Terry. Luv, Lizzie

  1. Date: 1/25/2013 12:20:00 PM

    Hi Terry awesome write sad yet truthful loved it, just come from reading your work on PLF and enjoyed that to, have a great weekend my friend, all the best Owen

  1. Date: 1/20/2013 11:56:00 AM

    This is very beautiful. I would like to learn how to write in the form you used.

  1. Date: 12/15/2012 8:15:00 PM

    This is very sad, but yet awesome. Very good write.

  1. Date: 12/14/2012 1:00:00 AM

    Amazing write Terry! The devastation war causes continues to wreak havoc in families. It’s ironic ‘they’ say that they need to protect the children and yet it is the same children they send out to fight a war in the guise of keeping peace. Very well written poem. I love how you’ve used the form to tackle an ever growing atrocity.

  1. Date: 12/11/2012 8:43:00 AM

    BEAUTIFULLY MOVING...and HEARTBREAKING...Well Done!

  1. Date: 12/7/2012 8:28:00 AM

    Wow, very nice Terry.

  1. Date: 12/6/2012 6:14:00 PM

    very provacative, the THEY don't care we are just pawns, cannon fodder..it's beyond sad..great write... Light & Love

  1. Date: 11/20/2012 6:24:00 PM

    The pain in my heart has left me blank...Very well written...Geez!

  1. Date: 11/19/2012 9:56:00 PM

    Awesome words Terry,,,, is this truly you and yours ? My tears rolled around the 7th stanza,, I think these very thoughts as I read or see " WAR" of any period in man's history. All for a piece of dirt,, but they still stand " tall". Sad but awesome write ,,,,,,,

  1. Date: 11/12/2012 7:59:00 PM

    well penned. Terry....very touching story.....luv.

  1. Date: 11/11/2012 1:12:00 PM

    This realy touched me. I think it will go down in soup history for the style you used. But the entire story told a story about life. Sadness met beauty in the end and mockery met wisdom.

  1. Date: 11/11/2012 1:07:00 PM

    Touching

  1. Date: 11/11/2012 12:15:00 PM

    Hi Terry saw this first on PLF, just had to tell you this is a superb write my friend, all the best Owen

  1. Date: 11/11/2012 10:00:00 AM

    beautiful, deep poem

  1. Date: 11/10/2012 2:42:00 PM

    wow, this is just excellent, Terry

  1. Date: 11/10/2012 10:16:00 AM

    saw this on Mandy's site, first Terry, an absolute stunning poem... full of realism, and truths....a classic poem this is...

  1. Date: 11/10/2012 8:03:00 AM

    Here's more about He was my sun. Son on sun is fabulous. I love the way you take us from detailed innocence to detailed cold hard facts and the intertwining repetition of your lines. Such heartache. I'm not all that unhappy - just really clued in. Thanks for reading my poems.

  1. Date: 11/10/2012 7:56:00 AM

    Dear Terry, You want to talk sad. You've given it to me this time in this incredible piece of a kid with cowboys and indians and now can't play with them anymore. Forgive me, and I know it's not analogous, but I thought of poem Little Boy Blue, by Eugene Field. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/eugene-field http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/little-boy-blue/ love, Kathy

  1. Date: 11/10/2012 7:27:00 AM

    Wow! as a father of an only son this ripped at my heart. This poem is masterful.

  1. Date: 11/9/2012 12:39:00 PM

    This grief is so true for those whose children are in the armed forces.

  1. Date: 11/9/2012 7:48:00 AM

    Oh dear, this is so grieviously sad, Terry. Unsure if this was an event in your own life; regardless this is heart hound at bay. A soul and tear shaker, Terry. Best wishes, Mikki

  1. Date: 11/9/2012 5:24:00 AM

    Hi this is on my home pay xx

  1. Date: 11/9/2012 4:34:00 AM

    This is such a well composed and captivating Pantoum. You have delivered another gem.