Off To War
Steve Dunne
Posts: 4,965
Looking in those courageous eyes
They've seen so many places
Shaking your hand and wishing you luck
Praying for your family's sake
It's not the last time
Watching you reach for your wife's grasp
She's sad, proud, scared
A home she's made with you
Will you come back to finish this life?
So many words unsaid
Yet all that comes to mind is 'I love you'
Your children, three young children
Climbing, clawing on your legs
Crying, screaming, at your feet
Trying to make you stay
At home this would work
You'd wipe their tears
Yet today you turn and walk away
They don't understand
Marching toward your destination
You leave behind many people
Who will make sacrifices
To overcompensate for your absence
To try and fill the shoes you leave behind
For your wife and children
This battle is now not just your own
So as you strap on those boots
And march toward your own sacrifice
Leave this life behind
It will be here waiting for you
Godspeed
They've seen so many places
Shaking your hand and wishing you luck
Praying for your family's sake
It's not the last time
Watching you reach for your wife's grasp
She's sad, proud, scared
A home she's made with you
Will you come back to finish this life?
So many words unsaid
Yet all that comes to mind is 'I love you'
Your children, three young children
Climbing, clawing on your legs
Crying, screaming, at your feet
Trying to make you stay
At home this would work
You'd wipe their tears
Yet today you turn and walk away
They don't understand
Marching toward your destination
You leave behind many people
Who will make sacrifices
To overcompensate for your absence
To try and fill the shoes you leave behind
For your wife and children
This battle is now not just your own
So as you strap on those boots
And march toward your own sacrifice
Leave this life behind
It will be here waiting for you
Godspeed
I love to turn you on
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Comments
Thank you for sharing this with everyone.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
dreamer in my dream
we got the guns
i love you,but im..............callin out.........callin out
he looked straight forward with his
blind faith, blinded eyes
Eulusso
five more remain
adjusting over the holidays
has been a bit of a strain
Your children pretend to be strong
yet I've wiped their tears
'I miss my daddy'
Trying to quell their fears
They see your picture
They hear your voice
One month down
It's still not their choice
So do your job well
It's the only way
It's your turn to stand watch
And keep their fears at bay
um, (pause)
that's deeply moving.
sad..
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
It would be nice, if you could get this poem out
there (where more people can read it). It's a way to broaden each other's perspective.
#X.
-Paul Verlaine-
"With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion."
-Edgar Poe-
probably im singular for now
dreamer in my dream
we got the guns
i love you,but im..............callin out.........callin out
again, hoping you are well
heard your voice yesterday
until the time was cut short
damn military phones
your dad and i stopped into a bar
and took with us your little boy
we ordered drinks in your honor
passing the time, putting in time
making the best of it, the most of it
your wife she is holding it together
with exercise, pills, and hope
her joy is in her children's eyes
her love is beyond her reach
yet her face is showing the cracks
your children still cry at night
they still don't understand
yet now they lie with your wife
she's used to wiping their tears
they huddle together for one
they cuddle together as one
trying with all their might
to get to that halfway point
Puts you in a place where you can really imagine the ordeal of waiting, of those left behind.
Trusting you are well
Although I know you are not
Passing the time with duty and boredom
How can the two be related?
We're getting to that place
Of anticipation and the pangs of waiting
Are just around the corner
We're over the hump now
But there is still a ways to go
That family of your survives in your absence
The vacuum, the void, always there
Surreal for so long
It's almost like not living
When you return, they awaken, but for how long?
There's not much more to be said now
Those children still cling to anything
Anything resembling the attention you give them
The love you give them
You love your country but are away from it
You love your family but are away from it
There are others that can fill your shoes in both capacities
Yet you choose to remain on duty
Is this service and bravery selfish?
It may never be answered
The conflict inside eats us all
Hang in there
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
cheers...onward and forward...:)
you made me cry fucker..
in my best witchy girl voice "i'll get you my pretty".
dude, your life is not a poem so how do i say this?
this living-breathing-crying-bleeding-loving-poemlife you live-wrote
is amazing.
poem isn't even the correct word to be used here as it is not strong enough
to support what i am trying to say to you.
"Hear me, my chiefs!
I am tired; my heart is
sick and sad. From where
the sun stands I will fight
no more forever."
Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
And I won't make the same mistakes
(Because I know)
Because I know how much time that wastes
(And function)
Function is the key
Haven't heard from you in a while
Yet I hear you are struggling
With the scenery around you
'Why do you have to stand post'
'At this post'
'There's nothing there!'
Those are your questions
And day after day the view's the same
Depressed, conflicted, tired, and worn
Such is this life's chapter
Set out to keep the world safe
For the kids, for yourself
Yet a shell of a man remains
And from here on out
The days will only get longer
It would take a war, sad to say
To make the time go by quicker
A war with objectives
With measured battles and gains
Something other than this daily grind
That said, there is a light ahead
And in looking into this light
There's much more than illumination
There is a tightening of the chest
A shortness of breath
An anxiety that stretches the days into weeks
The hours into days, the seconds into eternity
It is off in the distance
And to whisper it's name
Will inflict further pain upon yourself
Your family, yes your family
They have still the schedules, events, dinner, laundry
Those chapters you miss so much
Yet your wife's chest has begun to tighten
Her eyes are starting to open
Her soul is awakening
From a long, cold slumber
She can't wait to be human again
Your kids 'clock-watch' the calendar
They have made such strides
They are kids
Kids are resilient
Five months you've missed so far
They have been ready to hug you for so long now
For too long now
You owe them so much
What do they owe you?
A new, measured war within is underway
Time is now the enemy
This is when the agony sets in
With a whisper, the chest tightens
Let the countdown begin...
There is a date that is clearly visable now
A date with your children, your wife, your life
Was the past half of a year real?
Even though it helped build your 'career'
You would do anything to erase it
Your wife cannot go one day without dreaming
Dreaming of your return
Filling her day with more pills, shopping, rituals
Her throat, chest, stomach have tightened
She is crying almost every day
The feelings of anticipated elation
Literally suck the air out from her chest
Her duty has long been done
Your kids are a bit bigger, a bit smarter
They have done their best to survive
The oldest is so proud but still doesn't understand
The youngest knows your pictures
The middle stares with piercing defiance
Crying, seeking, wanting, needing
They can inflict no more distress
On their mother or each other
One can take full measure of their life
While they're not living it
And from where you sit, what have you got?
All you want is to come home
Those close to you have lived on without you
And maybe it's their sacrifices that you measured
How else can you explain something like this?
We are down to a couple weeks my man
amazing Steve, really amazing the way you move me with this writing of yours....
no chance i will show him this...telling a military guy he's a muse for writing poetry would ruin my reputation as a dude.
but i think i will walk away from this thread the moment i walk toward him to shake his hand.
bump for this thread and all who've contributed.
all gave some, some gave all.
< one week, but the well is dry today.
Your wife's prayers were answered
Your children's excitement overwhelming
All overwhelming.
Coming down the stairs
One by one
Your children came running
Amazing, awkward, pure
Words cannot describe the scene
Gushing emotions
Bottled up for half a year
Joy
Bubbling like the finest champagne
Time to celebrate
Six and a half months
A long time to be away
As I sat across from you, wine in hand
You said it was like it never happened
It was like a bad dream
And the bliss of your return seemed to erase
The nightmare of your absence.
So much can be written here
Yet it would never do this service justice
Your entire family suffered, endured, perservered
Always with you, even without you.
And the most patriotic thing we can do
Is say 'thanks'.
I thought to myself, how will he sum this all up? and here it is. BRILLIANT
a 1,000 thanks
Send my credentials to the house of detention