A TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT

MAYBE IT WAS ARLINGTON, NORMANDY BEACH, OR PEARL

HARBOR’S WATERY GRAVE

THAT AWAKENED THE NEED TO TELL THE STORY OF THE BRAVE

JUMPING FROM PLANES AND SHIPS INTO THE NIGHT

WITH SOME NEVER TOUCHING DOWN AS A BULLET CLOSED

THE GAP BETWEEN LIFE AND FRIGHT

WHY DID THEY LEAVE AND JOIN UP SO QUICK

WHAT WAS THEIR REASON FOR WANTING TO GIVE A LICK

TO THOSE WHO THREATENED THE RAREST OF RIGHTS

WHEN EVIL TRIED TO TAKE AWAY FREEDOM WITH

DARKNESS VOID OF ANY LIGHT

FARM BOYS, CITY BOYS, SONS, SOME DADS A LITTLE YOUNG

KNEW THEIR BATTLES HAD ONLY BEGUN

IN MOUNTAINS, DESERTS, JUNGLES, AND BUSH

BLOOD FLOWED ACROSS GOD’S EARTH LIKE A ROYAL FLUSH

FOR THOSE WHO MADE THE WEAPONS, PLANES, AND SHIPS

BACK HOME

WORKED TIRELESSLY AT THE PLANTS AT DAY SPENDING

NIGHTS ON THEIR KNEES ALL ALONE

WITH A STAR IN THE WINDOW AND A CANDLE

BARELY AGLOW

HOPING THE TELEGRAM WOULD NOT ARRIVE WITH THE

MESSAGE THEY DIDN’T WANT TO KNOW

IT WAS A COSTLY VICTORY FROM ’41 TO THE END

DEMANDING A BIG BOMB TO SAVE MANY A FRIEND

TO COME HOME TO BEGIN A NEW LIFE OF SWEAT AND TOIL

GROWN MEN AND WOMEN BATTLE-HARDENED STILL

READY TO DEFEND THE SOIL

MAY THIS BUILDING BE A MEMORIAL ALIVE WITH

THE SPIRIT OF WWII

HELD TOGETHER BY THE MUSCLES AND BONES FROM

THOSE WHO DIDN’T MAKE IT THROUGH

TO CLAIM THEIR BRIDES, TO SEE A BABY NOW THREE OR FOUR

NEVER AGAIN WOULD EVIL BE ALLOWED TO SHUT

AMERICA’S DOOR

(COPYRIGHT 2007)

THEY NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING, NOT EVEN A MEDAL

THEY PUT AWAY THEIR BOOTS, DOG TAGS, AND

NIGHTMARES HOPING TO SETTLE

IN A LAND BLESSED WITH OPPORTUNITY AND A CHANCE

TO START ANEW

IT’S TIME FOR RESPECT AND HONOR FOR THOSE WHO REALLY KNEW

THAT DEATH IS THE END OF LIFE WHEN TAKEN IN A FLASH

THAT THE MEANING OF LIVING IS THE SPACE ON

THE TOMBSTONE CALLED THE DASH

FROM THE PLAINS TO THE SEAS SURROUNDED BY

SPACIOUS SKIES

ONLY THE MASTER REALLY KNOWS WHERE EVERY BODY

QUIETLY LIES

WE PAUSE TO SAY AMEN, SALUTE ‘OL GLORY, AND THANK THE GREAT WITH A TRIBUTE THAT SEEMS SO SMALL

TO THOSE WHO SERVED WITHOUT HESITATION TO STEP UP

AND ANSWER THE CALL

WE ASK GOD’S BLESSINGS ON ALL THAT WE DO

TO HONOR THOSE SO FEW OF US REALLY KNEW

EVEN THOUGH THE YEARS ARE SIXTY AND MORE

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE

TO LIFT OUR GLASSES, SAY A PRAYER, AND PAY

TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT

AND AS THE BUGLAR SOUNDS TAPS ON HIS HORN FOR

THOUSANDS EACH DAY

WE PAUSE TO SAY THANK YOU…THEY WERE AMERICA’S

WARRIORS WHO TRULY PAVED THE WAY.

CARL E. SWEARINGEN

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007

(COPYRIGHT 2007)