Not Afraid to Die
65Goodbyes and Tears
Wasted Life
Here's a story of a young soldier,
He was not afraid to die,
Said goodbyes to family,
Begged mother not to cry.
Headed off to foreign shores,
To fight wars they can't win,
Without the hindsight needed,
To know what is asked of him.
Risking his life that could be spent,
Watching his children growing,
They may wonder where he went,
Because they'll never know him.
They never seem to notice,
How blood dries in the sand,
Instead joining the disaffected,
Seeing coffin flag and band.
When they count the cost of war,
In barrels dollars and cents,
Who knows what we're fighting for,
Who knows what they're dying for.
A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of coloured ribbon - Napoleon Bonaparte
Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime - Ernest Hemingway
The victor will never be asked if he told the truth - Adolf Hitler
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed - Dwight D. Eisenhower
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Goodbyes
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Unbelievably touching and heartwrenching. God Bless our soldiers.
I hate war! Your poem really touching, remaining me why I hate war.
"When they count the cost of war,
In barrels dollars and cents,"
When they will start to realize that they already cost many man's life, many wife's husband and many children father, which are priceless? You are right; wasted life!
Thank you.
whoflungdung, any other time I'd be laughing my ass off. Sir! A great tribute to the fallen, to the Vets with no arms or legs compounding other injury not seen by the eye.
In memory of SGT. Daniel (Danny boy) Halverson, United States Marine Corps. He went the same as I we fought on the ground and across the sky, the bullets that we met, didn't seem to kill us yet. With my revolver in 1978, he blew his brains out after eating breakfast, there was blood in his plate. Why? We made it home? We made it home together three times. We took our Honorable discharge within mere weeks, then settled in blocks apart, staying drunk and stoned most everyday. After all he'd seen and done, he shot himself with my gun. The US cared so much in Riverside Veterans Cemetery he was laid to rest to a recording of taps and the gun salute, I think about that every time I see the honors bestowed such as this, and wonder out of all the troops home sitting and drinking coffee in the squadrons with hangovers why they were to bothered to do it right?
Thanks for a view of respect and how I should have been able to remember that day, it wouldn't have changed anything, except the rage I felt and feel, I stop and think about the other brothers who attended if they remember it this way?
Beautifully done. You've managed to question the need for the sacrifice while remaining respectful to those who have made it... thank you for that.
Reading this - especially after looking at the photos in it makes your heart ache with sadness. I agree with Linda's comment.
thank you so much for reading and commenting. I think that there is always a better way than violence and as Freya put it, wasted life.
"I'm fed up to the ears with old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in" - George McGovern
James, Jeezes, I will never know what goes on in the heart and mind of any man who does something so brave and selfless. I'm grateful to a wonderful world filled with wonderful men and so glad my three brothers are still with me. Thanks and Peace :)
This was very touching. Looking at the photos makes my heart ache for all those that will never come home again and for the loved ones that will never see them again. Will it ever stop? It's so very sad.
So true. My favorite line was "They never seem to notice,
How blood dries in the sand.."
Micky Dee Level 4 Commenter 2 years ago
Sir- I'm blown away with the first hub I read. I had to check out your name- good move there.
I'm a Vietnam Vet. My folks have defended America for a century. My grand-nephew is in Afghanistan When in God's name will we quit these wars?
GOD PLEASE I'M SO TIRED OF THE FUTILITY OF THESE WARS!?!
Can we not proclaim the Golden Rule as our truthful motto?
Why must we preserve capitalism or socialism that do not work?
The answer of course is the avoidance of "Loving your brothers and sisters as you would love yourself".
I do love this hub. Thank you!