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This Is A Place Of Remembrance
Distant Daughter........{For Diane}
I saw all of Liberty
...and freedom
within your dark eyes!
I learned of Asahel and Andreas
.........crossing over the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania
..and far from Pine Grove, so long ago.
...........leaving their home
and family
to fight for Liberty.
..........and I learned that all the cold of Valley Forge
...they endured!
Father and Son!
Fought together, and marched ever on,
day by day...
.........til Brandywine!
...and there they both died.
I look at you Diane!
... at the soldiers
in your beautiful eyes,
....Oh distant daughter of the Revolution!
...I look at you,
and see them both
within your heart.
Sons of Liberty gazing from your
dark,
beautiful eyes.
To Asahel and Andreas
..I can only say
thanks!
For Liberty!
...for this woman with freedom in her eyes.
She has welcomed me
home.
©LJKlaiber Nov262002
 Save A Place
Save a Place
at your table ...
By God's grace
you are able
to enjoy the joys,
of this day -- of each day;
of loving and the love of
those who surround you;
all life's blessings;
blessings
................. life !
Heroes hold your chair
as you are seated
at the table.
They are those
who are not able
to dine or share the wine
today -- any day.
As you say grace
light a candle
from the living
in Thanksgiving.
Raise your glass,
see their faces;
but for these
you'd not be there.
For them ...
.............. save a place
.............................. at your table.
© LJB/ee 26 November 2002
Just Words...Just Words
Nights Shadows ,dark and shapeless
Days Shadows, stark and crisp
Mountains in the Eastern sky
Ocean to the Western Sky
In between, Cities of the Past
Now a City of today and tomorrow
People who Age, People who remember
People who remember a dark jungle war
People as they age recall the shadows
The shadows that dwelled in their Jungle
Shadows who moved ever so silently, no sounds
Shadows who left no trace, no trail in passing
People recall when they were young and bold
People recall the ledgends that are now old
People called "Degar" and "Bru"
People remember the shadows
Now here in Days bright light,a Monument to Soldiers
Standing in front, kneeling in silent prayer
Kneeling in silent prayer ,tears on his cheeks
Aged Elder now knows his Shadow has gone
Kneeling in silent prayer,tears on her cheeks
a child prays to the monument to help heal her heart
Kneeling in silent prayer, Monument of Bronze
Elder, Child pray for the Same Man
Of different worlds, his of past and the now
hers of now and tomorrow and yesterday
Two souls united by a terrible pain
Two souls together , brought to together by past
Tears of pain, tears of Sorrow, only 3 miles apart
3 miles apart for many years, tears for a departed shadow
If they had only known, only known,
They would have met in the Daylight
And the Elder would have seen his Shadow again.
©smalleagle Nov262002
Season's Greetings
Christmas: jingle bells and holly,
Santa Claus so round and jolly,
Cheerful songs and sparkling snow
Fragrant trees and candle glow.
Childrens eyes wide with wonder
As they survey their yearly plunder
Everyone filled with peace and love
And gentle blessings from above.
Over Iraq deadly birds soar
War ships ride at anchor off shore
For the moment we sing the hymn
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
ã Thurman P. Woodfork 11/28/2002
Christmas 1967
It was the night before Christmas, when all through the camp
Not a person was stirring, most were taking a nap.
The claymores were armed with great care
In hopes that Charlie would not be near.
In the world the family would be nestled in bed
While visions of Christmas Dinner danced in their head
But here in Nam our only hope was we wouldnt wakeup dead.
Not a word about Christmas was said.
The troops dressed in dirty fatigues, and me in mine
Tried to sleep at least for a short time.
When out on the perimeter a noise not much of a clatter
I sprung from my sleep but sleep didnt matter.
Fully awake from my sleep in a flash
Careful not to make any noise seeing Charlie make a dash.
There was a partial moon and was able to see
At least a squad of Charlie looking straight at me.
They were dressed in black, so lively and quick
I though for a moment I was going to be sick.
Swifter than eagles they came in time
But they were no match for our claymore mine.
From the top front of our position to the perimeter they did crawl
But once again our weapons and claymores ended this brawl.
So out through the night the survivors flew
And for this Christmas Eve Night we knew they were through.
The next morning to see the attempts on our position gave us pause
And not once did anyone think of Santa Clause.
But Santa showed up in that desolate land for our bunch
Because around about noon a chopper brought us a hot lunch.
First thing in a week other than Cs
So we ate and soon were catching some Zs
And thankful I was on that Christmas Day
Before the meal we all stopped to pray.
©David R. Alexander
August 25, 2002
All Rights Reserved
...............What Remains
Gunsmoke,
..........and fire smoke,
..and the faces of my Brothers
who remain.
Tears beneath a dream of freedom
...and all human races
sitting beside the fire
that we built ...for them!
...........built from a common war and a common remembrance.
Built
.... in the name name of Freedom for all!
Liberty!...still Liberty!
And now I see
that age
is restless for their freedom...
...that age
is ageless,
..... and always
awaiting the very brave.
Age is the eternity
of all of humanity.........
...a flag of many colors
...waving.... for liberty
..................and all of the faces
of human races!
Welcoming all the colors of the human heart
.Black..yellow...red..and white!
So!
..............be silent now!
Hush!
Liberty has come home.
©LJKlaiber Dec22002
A Sunset and A Prayer
I followed the Sun and cold shadows into the woods today. I listened
to the river,
the Crow, the Hawk....and sounds of life and death and soldier
history. I listened once more to a War...so long ago, and it asked
me to tell you of a place to rest your soul, a place to touch with
your heart.
It is a place that gives love, a place that whispers to poets, then
blesses them with words to tell. It is a place where we surrender
our heart, and our soul, forever, to those who gave everything, and
received, nothing.
Go there my friends! Go to the Wall!
....and Welcome Home...to all.
©LJKlaiber December72002
As Christmas Comes
As Christmas comes this year
I am reminded of those that are not here to share
Those left behind and those looking down
Those who now wear a golden crown.
Men and women that gave their all
To all of us big and small
To a ungrateful nation of politicians and worse
Now I take pen in hand and write this verse.
Christ gave his life over two thousand years ago
For those that scorned so that we would know.
A child of God brought forth on this land
To lift us up with his loving hand.
So did many of our fallen friends
Give their life with love, duty and honor that time transcends.
Im reminded of many friends that are not here in flesh
But that will always live in our hearts, their love to us refresh.
Feeling lonely and somewhat alone
Is not what they would want for us if the truth were known.
For not one man jack of them gave their life in vain
But for their fellow brothers and sisters to live without shame.
Just a thought for all in this Christmas Season
That love of God, friends, freedom and honor is the reason.
Lift up your head as if to remember
God is alive and caring for our fallen comrades every single member.
Merry Christmas to all is my lonely wish and those we owe,
And remember to acknowledge those that that died so long ago
Not with tears and a feeling of remorse
But to remember that they have stayed the course.
In Gods hand they now reside
And his commandments we must abide.
For one day we will be together,
When all of the weights of our lives will be as a feather.
© David R. Alexander
December 9, 2002
All Rights Reserved
KALEIDOSCOPE.......(for T-Bone)
Cycles of violence!
..........death burning a bonfire
into the darkness
of memory.
War,
and torn men,
trees,...dreams!
Everything broken!
Your Christmas package arrived today.......
....broken cookies.....perfume
upon her picture, and all her love for you,
....all for you T-Bone!
I opened it for you
...saw it all
in hiding...,
all that love for you,
and I cried.....and cried
for all the tears and silence
that will follow you home.
...cried
for their screaming faces falling away
into the grave with you.
.....and I feel as alone
as death.
As alive as a bullet!
As dirty as this Damn War!
...and I just don't fuckin' care
....anymore.
©LJKlaiber December92002
untitled...........(free falling)
There is something moving
within the stillness
there!
.........on the other side of death.
.........long after the Sun has fallen
and is well hidden
within the dance of the Moon,
far beyond the night sky..!
I turn the pages of the dead,
and parachute into
something ,
like whispering to
God!........or a bird
in the night
that tells my heart to dance,
.........to remember dark dreams
and the night wind.
I follow
upon the broken wings of the fallen.
I fly!
The silence of the dead,
calling,
beckoning to me
within the cool forest of the night.
They welcome me,
...and once more
I am the Old Soldier,
.........silent!
weeping the history of the World.
©LJKlaiber..December2002
Troubled Mind
Find your conscience
Console your friend
Keep your sanity
Will we ever learn?
Fight in war
Fight for peace
Keep your sights on the objective
What does it all mean?
Competing feelings
Moral views changing
Feelings of remorse
What is the right answer?
Hunting, tracking
Planning, hiding
Fighting, killing
Is this the answer?
A merciful God
Demanding demons
Souls marching toward hell
Which is the right path?
A nightmare in war
A dream of a nervous night
Memories of confusion
Were we that young and in war?
©David R. Alexander
December 12, 2002
All Rights Reserved
Selfish Thoughts
Do I remember or did I forget
Those for which I still have regret
The bodies of those laying so still
The faces of the ones that we had to kill.
The young, the old, the unfinished dreams
No one to mourn their passing it seems.
Fighting a half a world away
The mangled bodies I remember still today.
Remorse, anger, and distain
Those are all that now remain.
Duty, honor and country
Who did what and who did the commentary?
Friends made, friends lost
Gain ground at what cost?
Live, fight, win or die
Too many dead to deny.
Ask myself a question at this point
Who were we afraid to disappoint?
Two nations that didnt care
Both sides fought mostly out of fear.
Dreams at night that cant be washed away
Thirty plus years and still like yesterday.
Pray that relief is around the bend
And then out of nowhere you find knowing friends.
Friends never met, never seen
But regardless ones that ease your dreams
Those are the friends found within this group
Most have been there that one cant dupe.
©David R. Alexander
December 12, 2002
All Rights Reserved
One Loss To Many
Standing in the slimy marsh
Waiting for relief from the weather so harsh
Contact is a daily occurrence
Believing that this whole thing is a mental transference.
Rain, filth, steam, leeches and bugs
The heavy load that one lugs
A jump at every sound
Peace, sleep and rest cant be found.
Its been such a long time
To see my family is a dream of mine
But the reality of war rushes back with a shock
When a bullet misses and strikes a rock.
No one is safe it seems
No escape from this hell even in your dreams.
How long have we been strangled by war
Now the rain begins to pour.
Wrinkled, cracked and bloody feet filled with pain
Cloths that are caked with filth and wet with rain
Thirty young men on an unending mission
Seems it only ends with deaths permission.
Last night we lost one of our own
An old timer named Sergeant Sloan.
He was an old timer I guess you would say
He turned thirty years old just the other day.
No time to think about that now
We have to get out of here but I dont know how.
Its up to me to find a way to a clearing for relief
A mere twenty years old with twenty-nine men what grief.
If only I had listened and studied more carefully
Maybe I would be fit to be lead more logically.
These men are depending on me
My hope is that my despair they cant see.
With a desperate effort and a simple plan
We must find a way for the choppers to land.
Fifteen days without relief or support
These men of mine are brothers of a sort.
Now I awaken from the same dream
To late to change a single thing.
I live with this same guilt
No one can change the pain I felt.
Oh, we got out with only one loss they say
But I wonder if his family would feel this way.
The one lost like so many before
Mounts and multiplies with each like the one before.
©David R. Alexander
December 12, 2002
All Rights Reserved
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