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icebox
Member Elite

since 2003-05-03

Posts 4383
in the shadows

0 posted 2011-05-29 12:00 PM

It has been too long
since I have seen that look,
hollow look,
look of eyes having seen
too much too young,
eyes starving,
opened in
to a soul cut deeply,
scarred,
tattooed and scarified
in vain attempt to be immune
to dregs of memory,
carrying the weight
of a child's dream
shredded past the point of terrified,
weight of death selected,
and then chosen
as path of least resistance
in a moment of survival;
we are now too old
you and I,
too hard,
too familiar with what it means
to die or choose to live;
I cannot hold you as a child,
cannot pull you back through the veil,
cannot bring you tears of sacrifice,
cannot jolt awake the child's taste buds
for delight in life,
so all that's left for me
is hoping that you see
you are not alone,
I too carry debts in kind,
I understand,
and for what it's worth
I wish you well.

©2007, 2011 by icebox

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

1 posted 2011-05-29 02:29 AM

They don't get any better than this, Mr. Ice. A perfect Memorial Day poem.
A keeper for me.
Ida

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

2 posted 2011-05-29 06:37 AM

Awesome and deeply poignant, dear Charly.

Love,
Margherita

JerryPat2
Member Laureate

since 2011-02-06

Posts 16975
South Louisiana

3 posted 2011-05-29 08:55 AM

To relate to someone who has gone into another plane of existence and has come out of it scarred, probably for life, is touching. It doesn't help. It can't erase the horror, but it can give solace if solace is what is needed.

This so reminds me of my Uncle Mac. He got caught up in that horrible and inhuman Bataan Death March in World War II. He survived. I guess you could say he survived. He came back to us weighing 97 pounds. But he was never "with" us again. I think about Uncle Mac a lot, Memorial Day looming or not.

~ Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock ~

ice
Member Elite

since 2003-05-17

Posts 3404
Pennsylvania

4 posted 2011-05-29 06:42 PM

I stand and applaud you sir.
You have written a very good explanation of your feelings on the subject,that only a fine poet could do.....I salute you, sir.

This is a perfect memorial day poem.

jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

5 posted 2011-05-30 12:11 PM

I've a cousin that's a psychologist working for a southern state who's primary focus is counseling Vietnam Vets (yep, still), and this melds right in with some of the thing he's told me.

Well written, my friend.

j.

Klassy Lassy
Member Elite

since 2005-06-28

Posts 2187
Oregon

6 posted 2011-05-30 03:48 AM

All my words are too small for these thoughts. There is a compassion that goes much deeper than declaraton of sympathy manifested here. It comes in chains of experience and I am in awe, accompanined by a deepening trepidation over man's inhumanity to man. ~Karen

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