Gayle Rodd Poet Ballad

Soldier

As I laced up my tennis shoes
I hurried to meet up with you
and ran to find you getting off the bus
And when I saw you standing there
in uniform so debonair
I was hoping everyone would notice us
As you picked up your duffel bag
we walked, and you took off your cap
and put it on my forehead just for fun
And as my curiosity
began to get the best of me
I asked you if you’d ever shot a gun
My mother said that you’d been gone
you’d gone to fight in Vietnam 
I couldn’t have been no more than nine or ten
With pride I walked right next to you
And wondered if you felt it too
Or would you feel anything again?

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Freddie Robinson Jr. August 17, 2017 at 3:08 PM Very profound ending to this powerful poem, Gayle. Mine debut read of your poetic art. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Excellent poetry, dear. May love light your path always. Gayle Rodd August 17, 2017 at 6:07 PM Thank you so much Freddie. I was wondering if anybody would 'get' that? I guess I wanted to convey the soldier who returns with a feeling of 'dead inside'. My heart goes out to them.

Cheryl Hoffman May 15, 2017 at 8:43 AM Very nice nostalgic write about your Vietnam veteran Dad Gayle; heart touching memories is a great thing to replay in our hearts and minds after their gone...~Che :) Gayle Rodd May 17, 2017 at 5:44 AM Thanks Cheryl. This was actually about a cousin of my mother's but I can only remember bits and pieces of it!