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Johnny Gray - Jeremy Blue
| Open Poetry #8 |
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Johnny Gray - Jeremy Blue |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores 
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Johnny Gray - Jeremy Blue ~*Marge Tindal*~ Amidst days of early childhood no sight was more appealing Johnny and Jeremy playing while a mother's heart was reeling Johnny older and tall Jeremy younger and small Wherever Johnny went Jeremy followed as if on call Sights to warm a mother's heart such pleasant days to count Boys of the summer of that there was no doubt Somewhere along the Mason-Dixon Line the brothers lived their lives Never wondering of the outside world gnarled in it's strife Until the day, as men, they stood and took the uniform Opposing views in life had come Oh, the day of warn Johnny of the Confederate camp donned the uniform of gray placing his allegiance with the South where his heart lay Jeremy of the Union camp did Northerly lay his acclaim to freeing those he felt were slaves to men of shame Each brother kissed his mother's cheek She begged that they please stay They shook hands one last time and headed opposite ways The battles hard-fought The victories small Brother against brother Who would take the fall July 3rd, 1863, they met upon the Gettysburg soil Pickett's Charge would surely take the Civil War's biggest toll Shots rang out in rapid round shattering lives forevermore Brother killing brother to even up the score One wore blue The other wore gray A mother's heart bleeds red Upon two graves on the hill A mother's tears are shed One wore gray The other wore blue No victory ever cost more Johnny Gray and Jeremy Blue belonging to the heart of a mother never more - never more ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
You really struck a chord with this one, Marge. All hail the idiosy of war. Beautiful writing, dear person, and a superlative presentation. |
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ESP Member Elite
since 2000-01-25
Posts 2556Floating gently on a cloud.... |
War is so stupid and pointless! How beautifully you show that. Love and hugs, Lizzie  "Poetry is the true expression of my soul, it is my ultimate means of communication. It is my rainbow of delight." |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Balladeer~ I appreciate your response, my friend. I knew you would see the depth of this one. Always, I appreciate you. Love ya' Lil' Lizzie~ Another sad American History lesson, hon. I'm glad you saw the poignant message in it. Love you, my little friend. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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shilpi Member
since 2000-05-24
Posts 73 |
How meaningless war is....you have conveyed so well, a story in the background, painful.. regards, shilpi |
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nando Member
since 2000-06-09
Posts 87Vaxjo, Smaland, Sweden |
Marge... Again I find myself reading your poem with great delight... The message in this is perfectly wrapped up in a form and a build up which makes it a very very good poem.... And I agree: In war, everybody loses... -nando- Ask me how to live your life, and this to you I´ll say: make your choises true and wise, so that when tomorrow will arise, you´ll smile at yesterday... |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland |
WOW Marge, I know little about the American civil war but I am aware of divisions between north and south, being from Ireland. I agree that war is senseless though sometimes it can bring political change I think the casualties, the loss of human life make it invalid and senseless. There is a better way to fight intolerance or solve government disputes than war. A powerful poem, very clever. Really enjoyed this. ------------------------ "Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints. Kill nothing but time". Baltimore Grotto "To be nobody-but-yourself-in a world which is doing its best night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." E.E Cummings. manic street preachers "Culture Alienation Borebom and Despair" "I know I believe in nothing but it is my nothing" -faster MSP "And you see, I kind of shiver to conformity Did you see, the way I cower to authority, you see And my life, it's a series of compromises anyway It's a sham, and I'm conditioned to accept it all, you see" six by Paul Draper. ----- |
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Honeybee Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-26
Posts 5372Ontario, CANADA |
Wow Marge! How do you do it time and time again?! An amazing poem with the universal truth that nothing good can come of war. I studied the American civil war in history class in Canada, if only this poem was published in our history books! You have a great talent! Take care, Melissa Honeybee |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Absolutely beautiful flow and presentation Marge! Marvelously told and brilliantly penned ... I loved this! Best wishes, /Kit |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Shilpi~ Thank you for the reply. Yes - the background story was repeated far too many times. Nando~ I appreciate your thoughtful reply. Senseless, indeed. Brian~ Glad for your input. Yes, you would know well the divisions of which I speak. I pray daily for the country in which you live - a piece of my heritage also. Melissa~ Thank you, hon. If only the history books showed the broken hearts of mothers ... perhaps war would become 'history'. Kit~ Thank you ... I felt this one deeply and hope it shows. ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Lorraine Nisbet Member
since 2000-05-18
Posts 218Jersey City, NJ USA |
Marge~ A painful read, beautifully written as always!! ~Lorraine A great poet is nothing more....than a discovered amateur |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Lorraine~ Thank you so much for your kind remarks. As painful as the story is ... I enjoyed doing this one. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Butterflies_dont_cry Member Elite
since 2000-03-06
Posts 3733Michigan |
An amazing tale Marge! You surely have the gift for weaving a tale into a poem, my thanks for sharing this...your gift is a remarkable one!! |
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Tennessee Angel Senior Member
since 2000-06-03
Posts 661Tennessee |
Marge!! How on Earth did I miss this one earlier?? The truth of the story broke my heart. Being in Tennessee, half the state was on the north and the other half for the south. I have heard many a tale similiar to the one you tell. Thank you for sharing this heartfelt piece with us!! "That man has shown himself great who has never grieved in evil days and never bewailed his destiny." --Seneca |
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Elizabeth
Moderator
Member Ascendant
since 1999-06-07
Posts 6871Minnesota |
Reminded me of seeing "The Blue and the Gray" and really struck a chord. Thanks, Marge. Elizabeth I'm grabbing my hat and coat I'm leaving the cat a note Quick call me a ferry boat-getting out of town! |
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tracie66 Member Elite
since 2000-01-18
Posts 4713Australia |
Marge you always know how to get a message across and you did this in this poem and the way you used the colours. just goes to show how meaningless and senseless war is. Thanks for sharing Marge Luv Tracie~ Love is the life of the soul... It is the harmony of the universe |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
Marge, this really touched me. Some people forget about the horrors of war so quickly, and it's even more terrible when it's brother aganst brother, like in your poem. Thank you for reminding us. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
ButterfliesDC~ I do so appreciate your comments, my friend. TennesseeAngel~ Thanks ... and yes, too sad, too true, too many. Elizabeth~ I'm glad for your reply. Tracie~ From my heart, I thank you. LoveBug~ Yes, my friend. Too easily forgotten. We must be reminded so we give them honor and forget not what the wars cost us. ~*Thank you. Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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First__Knight Senior Member
since 1999-11-08
Posts 678 |
Love the impact used by you in the changing of color in verses Marge....I have said it before and I say again....you amaze me on your ability to write upon any subject...The mark of the truly great  It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. |
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
I could relate to this so fantastically well, Marge, so many of my poems have been with the same undertone, but this one surpasses all of what I have written by superlative power of expression that you possess... Thanks for posting this one, and many a human realise the folly of staging a war... bloody and brutal results only in anguish and misery, the war of men has no gain, all one owns is life's loss and pain .... Regards, sudhir My heart is pounding, my stomach's inside out I'm feeling kind-a-shaky, my mind is full of doubt All I ever think about, is fearing fear itself, Wish I could unscrew my head and put it on the shelf Everything is twisted, everything is oh so tight, Don't know what I'm looking at, the lights are all too bright My brain's about to crumble, spill out on the floor Sweep 'em up. Throw 'em away, don't want 'em anymore Clouds race across the sky, day turns into night, Still there are the questions, no answers in sight Everything is twisted, everything is oh so tight, Starin' out the window, everything is just too bright Brain's about to crumble, spill out on the floor, Wish I could unscrew my head, and kick it out the door... You know I'm feeling kind-a....Strange You know I'm feeling kind-a....Strange ~ Strange ~ Joe Satriani (Flying in a Blue Dream) |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Tremendous setting Marge. The words flow right back through history and capture the moment. |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
David~ You know I appreciate your compliments. Not so 'great', just many busy muses. Thank you. Love ya' Sudhir~ Thank you for such a nice compliment. I don't think it 'surpasses' ... just writ with a different view of compassion. I do thank you. ETHome~ I sure appreciate your thoughts. The setting is burned in our minds and hearts. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
 On the day of civil war I cried as I had not before to shed light on grievous act caused me to sorrow, alack, I could not reign supreme over the evil of human being. Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Karilea~ Thanks for dusting this one off ! The tears remember when ..... Love ya' ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Ah dear Marge how you have captured the horrors of war. Man has tried to dominate man to his own injury for centuries. In the recent past century we realized the futility of war. Even though a necessary evil sometimes, it does'nt heal the terrible pain resulting from the destruction of human life, when the young and innocent die, babes in arms. This is a wonderful poem Marge I'm so glad you posted for all to read the reality. |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
ETHome~ Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Wanted to share a tender look at the ravages of war ... the lives lost ... the tears shed ... the hearts broken. Hope that is indeed what I achieved. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Tramp Poet Senior Member
since 2000-01-06
Posts 754Could Be Anywhere... |
a very vivid and masterly presented picture of the heartbreak and waste of sanctioned killing. The saddest part, i believe is the story has went on forever and {sigh} probably will. Thanks for the reminder... perhaps... some day... no more... bleeding... "Tis ink coming from his arm, Captain!" |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Bleeding~ Thank you for the read. While we abhor 'sanctioned killing' it haunts us with it's price. Probably always will ... sadly so. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
So many true stories like this one, Marge, and you have set this one to verse SO well. Indeed, a heartbreak for many mothers of that time. Thank you, my friend. ~ Claire Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau |
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Paula Finn Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546missouri |
Marge...having two boys of my own, and having spent years as a military wife, I can relate to the horror of divided loyalties. This should be a reminder to all of the stupidity of sending our young men off to fight...especially in worlds not our own. Thanks for making us think. never say never |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Claire~ Look, I remembered ! Yes, the heartaches are numerous and the lessons learned are few. Thank you for the reply, my friend. Paula~ The wars of our world are filled with more heartaches than victories. Thank you for the reply. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
Marge- growing up in the military and being exposed to it all my life, I know all too well the consequences of war. I have lost many friends over the years due to futile battles and though I strongly believe in defending our country I have many reservations about some of the things we get involved in. This is a wonderful write and I am so glad that I did not miss it. |
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MMoonchild Senior Member
since 2000-07-13
Posts 1715PA |
Having lived on the Mason Dixon Line all my life..I can tell you this was a wonderful "true" write..I live only an hours drive from Gettysburg and they just imploded a viewing tower on the field on the 3rd... Marge you do have a poet's gift ~~softly M |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
MarkB~ Thank you for the input. I'm glad you didn't miss it too ! Maureen~ Thanks for the read, my friend ... and for your sweet compliment. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ [email protected] |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
A beautiful, sad poem and an extraordinary Very well done, Marge Liz |
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wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) |
i live in texas yet my whatever relative is ole ulysseiu ulisses o nevermind that grant prez guy...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ood jog marges |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Bump for a friend~ ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
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