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Open Poetry #30
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JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA

0 posted 2004-01-13 06:49 PM


Army Daze

Had some really good friends in the Army in Germany
way back then, my Army days were full of friends.
Jim Jones was a fellow Californian. (Modesto) He
thought that he was Elvis Presley and he did
resemble him somewhat.  Except Jim was only about
five feet four when he got all shook up on the
dance floor.  He liked to tell me he was Gods Gift
to Girls (GGG) and he did get most of the girls in
our little world.  Had to stop hanging around with
him because getting his leftovers wasn't my idea of
a good friend.  I must have told him a hundred
times that he was a legend in his own mind.
Ronnie Leroy was a tough farmer from Missouri.
Strong as an ox and as mean as a bull.  He had
spent some time in Kansas City and was nobodys fool.
He saved me more than a few nights when we got into
fights at the local dance and romance clubs.  Then
his wife come over and Ronnie turned into a
homebody.  Can't blame him though.  She was one of
those endearing types.  If she was mine I would
have been home every night.
Then there was Johnnie Akins from Macon, Georgia.
His friends called him Johnnie big honk.  Still in
his twenties but had one big honkin' bald head.
Imagine Kojak with a bigger head.  Johnnie loved to
fight with other soldiers, German citizens and
soldiers, the German Police, it didn't matter, he
just loved a good fight.  I had to stop hangin'
with him after awhile because one of his favorite
games was to walk down the street, flip a coin to
see who would take the first punch at the next
group of approaching Germans.  He said that it
payed them back for Hitler.
Alan Shepherd was from Ohio.  His dad owned a big
trucking company and he couldn't wait to get back
home and drive one of his dads trucks for the rest
of his life.  Like most of us that dark syruppy
German beer had him under it's spell.  That beer
always did its job well.
And then a new guy from Illinois came into the
unit.  He proceeded to inquire, who's the biggest,
ugliest, meanest guy in this place.  Cause this new
guy, Dennis the Menace, was calling him out for a
boxing match face to face.  Well, that would have
to be Johnnie big honk.  That Saturday afternoon we
all went to the base gym for the big event.  We set
up some floor mats about ten by ten and without
wasting any more time they jumped in.  No gloves,
no rules, just two boxing fools.   Words were said
and fist were flyin' and after about five minutes
of pounding, sweat and blood were flying.   Then we
couldn't take it anymore, good punches were landing
but no one was hitting the floor.  So we broke 'em
up, they were having way to much fun.  The next day
they were the best of friends.   They both had won.

JamesLee
January13
2004


© Copyright 2004 JamesMichael - All Rights Reserved
MARK V SHELDON
Member Elite
since 2001-06-21
Posts 3015
In a corporeal internship...
1 posted 2004-01-13 07:18 PM


Hey James.  There's quite a script within this poem -- a very visual story with animated characters, for sure.  Made me remember the movie BILOXI BLUES...

-MVS

You CAN make a difference:
http://educate-yourself.org/

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
2 posted 2004-01-13 11:15 PM


Thanks Mark...james
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