WWII – in memorial
Memorial Day is to honor those that have left us after they served to guarantee us the freedoms we too often take for granted. I do not have the words – so I present Jay who wrote a poem that expresses what I feel.
Once upon a battlefield
I stood where heroes fell,
where brothers, sons and lovers paused
to hear death’s tolling knell.
Once upon an open sea
I sailed where deep remain
the bodies of courageous men
who, by war were sadly slain.
Once upon the azure blue
I drifted through the crimson cloud
where valiant fighters dealt with death
to die alone in sullen shroud.
I’ve felt the moments summoned.
I’ve seen the grave despair.
I’ve witnessed every breath so gained
and every soul laid bare.
I’ve shed a tear not meant for me,
but for the uncaressed
that ne’er again felt warmth of love
before their final rest.
To their souls my prayer,
my honor and my truth,
that they be blessed eternal,
and blessed in memory’s youth!
Posted on May 27, 2017, in Current News, Home Front, Uncategorized, Vietnam, WWII and tagged History, Honor, Memorial Day, Military, Tributes, USA, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 84 Comments.
Excellent re-post gp, always great to visit your posts, as you probably notice I hold them for a while before coming back to read in depth.
Cheers mate, just had an op on my prostrate following a check up, last time I go to that Dentist.
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hahaha – I’m all set to get rotten sentimental about your operation and you end with a joke!! Take care and get some rest, oh – and don’t forget to floss!!
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Lovely poëm for all the victimes of war in WWII
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Yes, it is. Jay did a great job.
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I made the following poem.
Hear us! These are the names that are buried and written on a granite stone.
Hear us, because we were young, like you are now.. You may sees lines on our faces and a dog crying on a Veterans grave. He mourns for our honor and he mourns for you. I guess that dog, is a hero too.
Hear him. He guards the liberty you take for granted. His voice is never lost, even as their life passes before them. Cry out as loud as you can. A soldier died for you. He died for us.
Hear him, as he clings to life and wants to live, but knows he won’t. He gave that blood for you. Respect him for that and Hear him.
Hear a mother’s voice wail, a son or a daughter, at home on leave or draped in red, white and blue. Hear us, when punks make fun of honor. Hear us as we move forward. Hear us, when Veterans prepare a path for you.
Hear us and consider them. Consider the lonely faces. Hear us, because we know their pain. We have the seen the pictures of boys, stained beaches, all in red. Families wait to be heard. The sentinental drops his horn. All time stops.
Hear us, because he gave you, your brand new car. Hear that Vet. He hears you.
Hear us, because the picture you see, is stained by time. Hear us, because we understand that some will not or can’t. Hear them, hear us. Hear them all.
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I’ve printed this out – EXCELLENT! Thank you for bringing it to me!!
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I took about one-two hours to write. welcome brother.
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Amen, my military brothers! 74-85
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Thank you for all you’ve done.
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welcome brother
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Wow! Such a beautiful dedication to the martyrs.
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Thank you, they fight for us, it;s the least we can do …
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Yes, exactly..
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This is a beautiful poem, GP. Thank you for bringing jaybluepoems to the attention of your readers.
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He does good work, eh?!! He has quite a few others he has revived recently.
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Poems like this offer us a way to remember that Memorial Day calls us to take pause and give thanks for the sacrifices made on behalf of our country. This weekend has a deeper meaning than what is usually pushed which is the start of the summer vacation and shopping season.
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Big business and the media helped create that aura around the commemoration day. Remember – no matter what the question – the answer is always: Money
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Very true.
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Thank you for sharing Jay’s words.
I just watched the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS, and tomorrow I’ll help with our annual Memorial Day Service. These things are good, but you my friend, keep us remembering every time we visit.
Thank you so much.
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Thank you very much for saying so. That makes every day worthwhile for me!
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Thanks GP for posting this. Beautiful sentiment. I’m sharing it.
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I’m very happy to hear that Rose, thank you.
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“Against the drumming of the engine I heard my own voice repeating the words of another fighter pilot, John Magee, who has died with the RAF in the battle of Britain.”
“Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew,
And while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”
Last statement from Retired Brig. General Robert L. Scott in his book “God Is My Co-Pilot
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Excellent, thank you for bringing this here today!!
Here’s one you might appreciate…
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A beautiful tribute.
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Such a moving poem.
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For them.
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Dad passed away last year at age 93. He was a WWII vet…on the USS Intrepid. He was silent about those times as he held guilt for being a survivor only because he was dropped off onto an onshore sickbay while the Intrepid left and never came back…
He is buried in Ft. Logan, CO and we requested an honor guard…the only way he’d allow us to say thank you – in death.
For all who served…and who serve…
Thank you.
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May you father rest in peace with fellow shipmates.
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thank you for that….
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Good choice, GP
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Thank you. I thought Jay did an excellent job.
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Thanks for this. As a newspaper reporter/ columnist, I wrote 2 separate stories about 2 local young men who served their country and lost their lives, both in the Pacific. One was on a ship that was attacked and the other was shot down in a plane. I’m not related and didn’t know them but it was still hard to do the research and write the stories. This holiday surely must mean a lot to their families. I appreciate it more every year.
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Every day I fight back tears of sorrow and gratitude. I can relate to your feelings, just wish I could express them as eloquently as you and some others.
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We must make sure that we don’t forget these men and women, because time eventually will carry all of them away if we don’t make the effort.
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Exactly, John! I’ve seen pictures of the poppies put out in the UK in honor and can not imagine anyone who doesn’t feel humbled by the number of them! I greatly appreciate your visit!
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Yay! Finally got the ‘Like’ button to work …
Now all we have to do is get our leaders to lead. From out in front …
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haha, you really think they’ll make the effort you just did?
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Some powerful words that one cannot help feel the tug on the heart.
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I thought they expressed mine quite well. Thank you for stopping by.
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Yes. Words we need to read and hear and learn from.
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Indeed. Very well said.
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Now I’ve found the ‘Like’ button but it won’t work for me. I’ll try a different browser.
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YOu have contributed from the Rubaiyat, your feelings are noted and Thank you.
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Couldn’t find a Like button ?
—thoughts I’ve often had myself. Even ol’ Khayyam had some thoughts on it …
I never thought that blows so red
the rose, where some buried Caesar bled …
(words to that effect. Memory fades)
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Ah-ha, another Kipling fan. Yes – from ‘The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam….
XX.
I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head.
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The poem reflects my sentiments 100%. Thanks for the reblog, GP!
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It is for people like yourself that make this site worthwhile, Peter. Let’s continue to try to get our youth to understand!
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Thank you for bringing this wonderful information to all of us. Many of us were very young Really and didn’t understand the value of what was happening and somehow maybe the teachers never taught it. I always did.
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I’m glad to know you felt honored to teach about these troops. I fear so many of our youth will grow up never realizing what effort it took to give them their freedoms.
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Oh how beautiful!
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He sure found the right words, didn’t he?!! Thank you for taking the time to read it Christy!
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Wow. I’m crying. This expresses how I feel, too.
Thank you to Jay, for writing this!
Thank you to you, GP, for posting it!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
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You are very welcome and I will make certain Jay sees this! 🙂
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GP
Thank you for sharing this poem. Printed it out and added to my journal of poems that sums up how we all feel for those who have given so much of themselves for your freedom.
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I am thrilled you have saved it. I feel it expresses so much that I have no words for.
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ps. do you have a web site/blog? I have not been able to pull one up for you.
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Great post!
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I thought he did an outstanding job too. Thank you for reading this.
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Welcome!
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Wow! That is a very stirring poem! It sort of sums up everything you feel . . .
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That it does. Thank you for taking the time to read it here today.
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This does say it all, thank you GP. And thanks for your weekly reminders throughout the year of the courage and valor of our military heroes–much appreciated.
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It is certainly my honor to bring the actions of these heroes to the attention of the readers. I appreciate our long friendship here!!
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This is a wonderful poem, and I’ve never read it before, thank you for posting it.
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I was honored to do so. I become tongue-tied when I try to express feelings, so I asked Jay to do it for me.
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Thanks, GP.
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My pleasure, John.
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GP – I linked to your post here:
https://56packardman.com/2017/05/27/memorial-day/
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I noticed and please know that I greatly appreciate that.
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Teared me up. So moving.
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Isn’t it though?!! I thank you for reading it, Cindy.
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Then there is this, from Guadalcanal vet James Jones, author of The Thin Red Line:
Then its Tommy this, an’ Tommy that,
An’ Tommy, ‘ows your soul?
But its the ‘Thin red line of ‘eroes’,
When the drums begin to roll–
–KIPLING
________________________________
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Kipling was very good for making a point, I’ve always been a fan of his work. Thank you for delivering this piece on this weekend.
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Beautiful
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yes indeed.
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Nice work from Jay, GP.
Best wishes, Pete.
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He sure says it better than I.
Appreciate your visit, Pete. Enjoy your weekend.
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Ich wünsche dir ein schönes sonniges Wochenende liebe Grüße und Umarmung Gislinde
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Danke, Gislinde.
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Thank you. I’ll make certain Jay knows how much everyone likes his work.
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Thank you.
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