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He Dont Remember Seeing You
| Open Poetry #37 |
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He Dont Remember Seeing You |
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XOx Uriah xOX Senior Member
since 2006-02-11
Posts 1403Virginia 
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Henry Brown showed me a letter... Wrote in nineteen twenty nine; By the pen of his grandfather; From a bed where he lay dyin' He said... " There wont nothin' "civil" 'bout that war between the states. I'm ninety six years old now, and heading toward them Pearly Gates. Bobby Lee laid down his sword, over seventy years ago... And ya'll keep harpin' on a war and talking things you dont know. I dont remember seeing you... At the Battle of Bull Run; Where were you when Pa went down... with a ball in his lung? I lost a father and a brother... But I had to let the madness go... Why are you angry over things that you dont know? I dont remember seeing you... Down at Five Forks in the mud... I dont remember seeing you...in the rain, washing off the blood. Mister Samuels was a rich man. I used to work in his fields; Along side his slave hands... To earn money for my meals; Mister Samuels was a cruel man; High and mighty; mean and rude. All through the war he kept a black man...to tote his pack and cook his food. He was called a "body servant". Oh Lord ! Not a luxury for the poor. But, for men like Mister Samuels... We fought that damn war. If theres an ache in your back, boy... If theres a callous on your hand... You aint no better than that black boy. I know you dont understand. But there aint no cannon balls a'flyin... Aint no Yankees at your door. Your kind aint never owned another. What are you angry for? You've never heard a Rebel Yell... You couldn't make one if you tried. FEAR, brought it up from the bowels of Hell! It echoed off of those who died. But... Now I'm just a old man... Once again... Looking death in the eye... With alot of blood on my hands; And not a clue.... Why? Henry Brown showed me a letter... Back in nineteen ninety nine; By the pen of his grandfather... From a bed, where he lay dyin'... And... He dont remember seeing YOU...At the Battle of Bull Run. He dont remember living through...All the "Romance" and "Fun" . He dont remember seeing YOU...Down at Five Forks, in the mud. Over a hundred and forty years now... and you're still crying out for blood. Your heart is filled with hatred. You wont let that old war go. But, you'll retreat from the bugle... When you hear the Trumpet blow ! He dont remember seeing... YOU ! |
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| © Copyright 2006 Larry F. Leake - All Rights Reserved | |||
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
Bravo, Uriah! You're a great weaver of tales.  .....jo |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Uriah---This is excellent. I echo Jo's bravo!! |
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