This is my declaration,
This is where I take my stand,
A Citizen, a Veteran ,A Grown Ass Man
The things I see daily
Came as a total surprise,
A President with no Integrity,
Everyday spouting new LIES,
A Congress that should balance,
Everyday closes its eyes,
A Congress that should check ,
Everyday tells me pigs fly,
If I cant trust those that lead,
Then what options are left,
TOTAL complete ANARCHY,
MAY My Strength be My WEALTH.
May the training I was provided,
See me through the coming storm,
May the blood of my former leaders
keep Me ETERNALLY WARM.
I've walked up and down the rows; skipped a few, then went back to look
Since I was seven, this ritual continues; A routine going on more than 51 years
A sad silence as I look across the grounds, always the rush of tears
As I read each name, I wonder who they were; what their story was
A World War II Veteran, a mother, father, grandparents, daughter or son
A teenager on the brink of life, an innocent baby with life just begun
Some headstones are neglected, no flowers or sign of care
Everyone wants to be remembered; not forgotten like the release of a dove
Some graves have monuments as a tribute; to show the endless love
I say a prayer for those gone before me; brother, sister, parents, aunt and others
A whisper soft breeze moves my hair, a gentle presence that doesn't last long
I think of this fleeting brief life; We're here for a moment... and then we are gone
A peaceful feeling surrounds me as I recall precious memories, happy times
I place the flowers down and turn my back to walk away
I whisper my promise to come back again, another time, another day
This Parrot
this bird in the cage its featherless wings folded to its naked
body like garden scissors and it squawked;
I´m 89 years old today, let me out of this bloody cage. but its
owner heard not she was a widow of First World War veteran a
and told every one that this particular war had seen the death
of 8 million horses 12 million donkeys and no one took notice of
this mass slaughter but then humanity only thought of its own
suffering and were impervious to animals feeling. having been
dragged from a green field to a soggy battle field and not a word
of consideration only eyes by hungry soldiers as a possible meal,
Goulash the known dish was originally made of horse meat,
camouflaged with paprika, hot pepper and salt. 89 years in a cage
And had only been able to read titles of books on the shelf, but
it had lively mind and by listening to the radio for so many years
it was well educated and could squawk with the best of them.
Today is the day we honor,
the noble and the brave,
the men and woman who dedicated their lives,
and the sacrifices that they have made.
When America had an urgent need,
they were the first to raise their hand,
without thinking twice about it,
they were proud to take a stand.
Some came back from war with battle scars,
others in flagged draped coffins,
even though their flesh may have left,
their spirits will never be forgotten.
They unselfishly and knowingly,
put their lives on the line,
so when you see a veteran, thank them,
cause without them, freedom would have died.
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