What We Gave
It was the year of Nineteen Forty One
when I was a young, new bride,
there was a sneak attack upon our ships
and so many good men died.
Our president announced we were at war
and we knew lives would be changed.
How dare they attack the USA?
Are their leaders all deranged?
Eager to defend our loved homeland,
we volunteered our everything.
What we gave was all but necessities,
to no luxuries did we cling.
Every able man was declared ready
to go fight the enemy.
The women filled essential jobs
to protect our loved country.
We gave up our loved silk stockings
and went bare-legged without shame.
We inked seams up the back of legs
and just hoped pen had good aim.
Most items were carefully rationed,
sugar, coffee, meat and much more.
Groceries were doled out to us,
it mattered not were we rich or poor.
Gasoline enough get to work,
there was none for casual driving.
No new cars or toasters or non-war items
were in stores or show rooms arriving
We learned how to make old things last,
turned our yards into Victory Gardens
and raised our own food for those long years.
Laggards earned no grace or pardons.
Those who gave the most were soldiers,
who were happy to answer the call
and the families they left behind
were the ones who gave their all.
But we all gave for our country.
We united to win the war.
We each gave what we had to give
and would gladly have given more.
7/1/14
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