»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #3
»
The Sentries
| Open Poetry #3 |
|
The Sentries |
|
|
John Yaws Senior Member
since 1999-10-09
Posts 860Texas 
|
"You aren't sleepin', are you Johnny"? Came a voice across the stream. "No more than you are, Billy Yank!" Awaking from his dream. He had dreamed he was in Georgia In the balmy summer time- Peaches drooping from their branches- He could smell the fragrant pines. "Where do you hail from, Billy?" Called the quiet Southern drawl- Which fell as strange on Vermont ears- As a Rebel saying, "Yall". "Vermont," the youngster told him- " You know what I desire? That this war would end by autumn- An' we'd all get out of hyar! I'd like to see the mountains- When the colors start to turn- To reds, and golds, and yellers It looks like the mountains burn!" "I hear yuh talkin', Billy Yank! I sure am sick fer home, To see a plow share turnin' The rich, red Georgia loam. I'd like to see my Mary Anne- She promised she would wait, Till I returned home from the war- Then we would set a date." "Where are we? Have ye heard 'em say? I'd really like to know." There's church just up the road a piece- That someone called "Shiloh". "Why that means "peace", the preacher said, Maybe it's an omen!" But neither lad had an idea- Just what with dawn was comin'! The day broke clear and cloudless- With the rising of the sun- The silence soon was shattered- By the awful roar of guns- In a stream which flows to "Bloody Pond" As the sun sank in the west- They found two boys with bayonets- Thrust in each others breasts- Side by side beneath the sod- Two youthful warriors lay- The one was dressed in Yankee blue The other Rebel grey. ------------------ ~GS~ |
||
| © Copyright 1999 John R. Yaws - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
This is an extremely powerful poem. Sad thing is that it is also very accurate. Young boys who should have been home wooing their sweethearts thrown into battle against each other and dyin'......and for what? Such a waste. Very well written piece. |
||
|
Mike Member Elite
since 1999-06-19
Posts 2462 |
Excellent. You obviously put a great deal of effort in your writing and we reap the rewards. |
||
|
Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
What a masterpiece! So skillfully written and full of truth!  ------------------ Denise |
||
|
Pepper Member Elite
since 1999-08-19
Posts 3079Southern Florida |
I ditto all above.......well done ------------------ May your days be filled with lots of sunshine and your nights lit up by golden moonbeams |
||
|
Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Gunslinger, One of the best things i've read in a long time. Well done. |
||
|
merlynh Member
since 1999-09-26
Posts 411deer park, wa |
This is the first time I've read something of yours. It's not bad. I'll be sure to read some others of yours. |
||
|
Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
At the risk of sounding redundant... Care to check in yer guns & stay awhile, pardner????... |
||
|
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Ok..you have really become a favorite! I love a poem that tells a story and has a moral! You are truly gifted! I checked out your homepage and like what you've said there. But you should post your poetry... I didn't see a link to that.  [This message has been edited by Poet deVine (edited 10-09-1999).] |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||