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'This Is A Place Of Remembrance'
The Silence!
The breeze falls into the wooded
silence...........
and small creatures listen!
I sit with them
in memory.
Remembering those who fell
far from home,..
...........torn and bleeding,
young men far away
from that mystery place
called Home!
The Night wind falls
and the fire burns
in this old place.....
that whispers........... and tells me
that it
is............ something
'that is a remembrance',
and a small home
for weary souls...crying
and alone.
I shall choose to be with them
now,
and forever.
I remain
only....
to 'Welcome
them
Home'!
The finest poem
is a heart..brave
silent...
and alone.
©LJKlaiber November2002
 Death Of A Soldier
Drift off to sleep young soldier
Find a place where death lingers no more
A brook that babbles over polished stones
Butterflies that kiss your nose as you stroll along
Drift off to sleep young soldier
No cares, no pain, no dread of morrow
A noon sun to keep you warm
A sparrow to sing you to sleep.
Drift off to sleep young soldier
Put aside war, death and pain
Pick berries as you linger along the path
Smell the new mown hay of the fields of clover.
Drift off to sleep young soldier
You have earned the rest so tarry no more
Remember your childhood, your parents and friends
Look up to the face of God.
Drift off to sleep young soldier
This will be your last journey
No worries, no cares and love to find
Cross over the mountain and the stream
Drift off to sleep young soldier
For the reward of death will keep you now
Your dreams will find a new meaning
And forever you can rest.
©David R. Alexander
November 15, 2002
All Rights Reserved
War Paint
All Warriors are Green.
It gives them
some advantage,
especially in the jungle,
of not being seen
as to religion, race
or station in life
just as a team
of brothers;
a fighting machine.
Stir together
these Sailors, Airmen,
Soldiers, Marines
who fight for you
All Warriors of the
Red, White and Blue
When it settles
... paint Purple.
The color of Majesty,
of Royalty
of Mourning,
fittingly ...
the color of the
Purple Heart Medal.
©LJB November 2002
For Cal
full Moon in the heavens
tonight,
bright, bright as Daylight
soft orange glow marks a ring
standing in the shadows
No sounds save for crickets and frogs
Dogs at my side, cat in my arms
standing , listening , watching
a bright streak across the sky
another soldiers soul gone home tonight
standing, watching , listening
soft breeze across my cheek
looking to the sky, looking to see
Across the full Western Moon
a Shadow, a Shadow crosses in front
Across the Full Eastern Moon,
a Shadow, a Shadow cross in front
In the East the Night Owl on the fly
In the West the Night Eagle on the Fly
Spirits in the full moon night sky
Spirits , Spirits of brothers
A full moon in the night sky
©smalleagle Nov2002
 Holding Lady Liberty
I noticed her
standing
two panels down,
face uplifted...!
Bright silver hair,
...and tearful.
............somebodys Mother
...perhaps!
I was alone beside the Wall
touching memory,
...touching agony
in my heart.
She was still there,
standing alone,
as I started to leave
...and I said,...........
"May I help you?"
Her eyes fell
as crystal,
shattered again,
.............and again.
"That is my Son....,
There!....
Up there!
I cannot reach his name!"
So,
I lifted Lady Liberty
and she shook in my arms,
...her trembling hands
upon his name.
As she thanked me,
...I held her close,
just once again.
Then we went
our separate ways.
©LJKlaiber Nov2002
For Woody
Some good things came out of a dark place
long ago.
Soldiers traded blood for blood
and found that all
was the very same
life....
....and they tried
for each other; fought for.........,
and they cried,....fell down and cried,
when the other
died.
They were Brothers!
That is all that I know.
©LJKlaiber Nov 2002
Ode to Earth
there are bright flowers
always laughing
somewhere......
blooming
despite death
and the cold tombs of winter.
in memory of memory
we ride the dark horses
of the past
...as we remain
hiding under the bedsheet
of night.
old souls dancing
toward memories of youth
....once again.
smiles
climbing the quiet
cold
mountains of the heart.
old weapons.....
cleaned , and put away.
Earth
turning ...........!
...........away from shadows
and
toward love
within the warmth of a kiss.
love smiling at me
..and saying
goodbye.
©LJKlaiber Nov 2002
For My Brother`s Spirit
For
Greyeagle
I have stood alone,
many nights,
counting the Moons, my brother.
Your children flourish
together...,
and today, triplets were born,
........and such joy is wonderful to behold.
We shall put our arms together again,
my brother!
Someday!
Sleep well my friend!
....till then!
©LJKlaiber Nov202002
Why Did I?
Why
did I want it all
to end
with........us?
Knowing that time is the
servant of War.
Why did I pray for peace?
..knowing
that I would hear the drums
again.
Why do ghosts surround,
and call to me?
................from hot winds that blow
from so very far away.
Winds that that carry soldier voices
...lost
.....so long ago.
Why did I smile as I took their hand?
....and said goodbye
today.
Why did I
©LJKlaiber Nov 2002
God Held My Hand
As a child my parents took me to church
You see for me they didnt have to search.
And when at my grandparents house we all went together.
In rain, snow, heat and all kinds of weather.
Growing up on a farm in rural Kentucky, work was all we knew
Of the outside world we had no clue.
So going to church was a treat just to have somewhere to go
I never much though about the reason and but it certainly wasn`t for show.
As I grew older and things became more and more clear
I became aware of Gods presence and He became more dear.
I knew that my father and mother were always quick to give Him praise
And with a strict hand we kids they did raise.
About the time I turned seventeen, our pastor came around
He had been trying to catch me to help me be heaven bound.
I resisted at first but he started to make more sense
For as he talked to me and presented Gods plan I had no defense.
To accept Jesus as my savior was my only salvation
To reject His gift of eternal life would be condemnation
So accepting Him as my savior was the biggest step in my young life
But slipping away from His grace only brought me turmoil and strife.
A little later as I was about to go to Vietnam
My father told me only one thing, one piece of advice to bring me calm
Son he said, on the night before I was to leave,
When things are bad, remember all you have to do is pray to God and in Him believe.
I shrugged it off, as I was too old to ask God for his guiding hand
Heck I was nineteen years old and I was a man.
During my time in combat the first thing one might learn
Was the only hope any of us had was God and to Him we all would turn.
He held me in the palm of His hand for all those long scary days
And brought me home again and to Him I owe all the praise.
Oh, I have fallen short at every turn
But God has forgiven me and from Him I did learn.
Faith, Love and Forgiveness He freely gives us
And all He asks in return is to love Him as He loves us.
As the Master loves us all in our daily life He is there
So I now bow my head and thank Him with a simple prayer.
©David R. Alexander
November 13, 2002
All Rights Reserved
Untitled ...................dreams!
Across this land
...veterans greet the sunrise
and pledge allegiance
to another day.
...........a day in freedom
and remembrance.
The long road
is filled with tears,
...of our Brothers gone,
so long ago............!
...never to come home!
..never to touch
the women they might have loved,
....just names, Brothers..
disappearing upon a Wall.
Yet, I feel them calling
to me.........,
calling me as I sleep,
ever
it is them,....calling me,
....and I welcome them home.
I think I saw too much
hatred........................,and death,
long ago.
I was part of it!
part of it all!
.....and I hated that
part of war,
........also!
©LJKlaiber Nov 2002
Tarnished Soldier
Dug in a foxhole
catching forty winks
My pardner that night
Keeping the watch
Awakened to a hell of a sight
Boots all stood around the edge
with rifles all pointing down
In their eyes could be read
If they had been enemy
we would both be dead
Looked over at him
son of a bitch was asleep
Caught up into a firefight
when the firing stopped
Fella was no where in sight
well,I`ll be dammed
He was back behind some trees
Where the hell were you
'LT., My rifle jammed'
Sure, you son of a bitch
Lt.Took the said jammed rifle
LT,fired it in the air
Sounds echoed everywhere
No jammed rifle there
Lt.turned to us and said
'Runs like a rabbit again
I want him treated as such'
We weren`t thrilled too much
We looked at each other
Was said soldier a brother
or an enemy among us
We were all knowing then
he was unworthy of trust
He`d never finish his hitch
Went without saying
That son of a bitch
©Faye Sizemore November182002
 What The Wind Knows
A cold wind seeks it`s lonely path
down the city`s concrete corridors
and like a lover coming home creeping
snuggles up to a man who sinks farther down
against the alley wall in his ragged vest and shivers
The chilly evening is still young
but there is not much to stay awake for
when you are a street bum
The last drop is gone from the bottle
Now sleep is the only defense he has
against the ever recuring scenes
Memories of combat,another far away fight for life
Too much,too much, not far enough down the line
He still hears the screams, ,still sees the dying
and the ones begging for death,dear Lord,dear Lord
VA would take him in, but no, he`s not going through that again
He could go down to the corner and tell another Vietnam story
If his tale is interesting enough he can get a swig on their bottle
just enough to loosen his tongue some more
But lately the dreams of the things he remembers
are starting to last longer and are getting stronger
so he just hunkers down and looses himself in the wind`s caress
© Faye Sizemore December82002
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