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Open Poetry #11
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VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon

0 posted 2000-11-22 06:38 PM



History?History
Virginia Salter

Normandy
Bunker Hill
Fort Sumter
Halls of Montezuma
Bay of Pigs
Cu Chi
Tet
St. Lo
Grenada
Persian Gulf

foxholes
cannon balls
powder kegs
rotten eggs
white flags
crimson-stained pockets
broken lockets

crumpled letters
promises
confessions
wires
campfires
nylons
cigarettes
pin-ups

stick-ups
spying
treason
reason
maiming
dying

memories
sympathies
Happy? Veterans’ Day
Tears for years

© November 10, 2000

© Copyright 2000 Virginia Salter - All Rights Reserved
VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon
1 posted 2000-11-22 10:51 PM


I know this is likely a ridiculous thing to say, but Tony Abbot's "Girl On Heather Hill" is 'to my fantasy' an amplification of one of or both of two lines in this piece.  Either 'broken lockets' and/or 'crumpled letters.'

It would be so marvelous if this poem could carry the reader to those kind of thoughts while reading it.  War is so much more than the battles that it contains.

Do you poets ever hope such grand hopes?  Or is it just people like me?

ethome
Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858
New Brunswick Canada
2 posted 2000-11-23 06:52 PM


No it's not just you...very well done!!
VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon
3 posted 2000-11-24 12:49 PM


Thank you, ethome, for reading and commenting.  I was so afraid no one was going to read this one because it had gotten so deeply buried.  I'm glad you liked it, it's one of my favorites because, for me, it brings up so many images of our history.  Much of it was from seeing movies about WWII and other wars and a little bit from education.  A movie reel was going off when I wrote it, and still does go off in my head when I read many of the lines.
Thanks, again!

kaile
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Ascendant
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146
singapore
4 posted 2000-11-26 12:42 PM


hi there, VAS

i was conscripted into military service before and this brought back some memories

how about:
fire-and-movement
vulgarities
bashing
cameo
trench digging
sniper
etc etc

i relate to this one...i often hope that war will not occur in my lifetime so that i wouldnt face the anguish of broken lockets and crumpled letters....

VAS
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-11-16
Posts 7450
Oregon
5 posted 2000-11-26 01:17 PM


Yep, those items could certainly be included in the recall of the pain of war or embattlement.

I hope war does not occur in your lifetime as well, but it certainly seems that 'man' keeps trying.  By 'man' I mean 'humanity' not the opposite of woman.  But 'humanity' seems such a wrong term to use when applying it to war.  Inhumanity is more apt.

Thanks for the read and your comment!

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