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Open Poetry #36
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Song For Ryan, Killed Tuesday In Iraq
| Open Poetry #36 |
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Song For Ryan, Killed Tuesday In Iraq |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
He will return home now For all time, a soldier Never a teacher- Zippered In plastic, after long flight Out of a hot desert- Storm-back Into cool breezes, That bless the hills of Liberty. Burned by wars torch- The eternal flame, That no one seems To knows how to quench! Plug the purple holes With sealing wax, Paste over black-bruises Make his skin pink, Place his body In a polished box- Comb it- paint it, make It look natural Pretend he is asleep, Play church music- Erase fright from his face; Knowing he will not wake And tell you the truth... Carry the body, life gone- Wasted at whims Of high command- He swore An oath to follow- Orders as they chose; Honor with stern face But wash With warm tears What's placed Beneath the cold stone.. Rain will dance on this grave Its soft feet Wearing away the name Sketched here on rock- Under green maples Whose limbs will also wither Eventually--- Flesh-leaves falling in summer- Long before autumn As his did, and does Below from bones. *************************************************** Note: I lived very near Liberty Pennsylvania (population 868) for a very long time...so I know this young mans family and share their loss, which I think of as a loss for all mankind. * Ryan Ostrom, 25, of Liberty, Tioga County, (Pennsylvania) was killed late Tuesday (August 9, 2005) in Habaniyah, 50 miles west of Baghdad, when he was hit by enemy small arms fire..... Ostrom was a member of Co. B, 109th Infantry, based in Williamsport, Pa. The unit was deployed with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team to Iraq last month. His father, Scott Ostrom, had served for decades with Company B of the 109th Infantry. Ryan Ostrom, who had been in Iraq for a month, had been studying to become a teacher. © 2005 The Associated Press-April 11, 2005- CBS-3 Philadelphia |
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| © Copyright 2005 ford hume - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
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ctowen Member Elite
since 2001-10-18
Posts 2286Green Mountains of VT |
..... it's time for all to come home, it has been long enough. this is a beautiful sentiment ... wish each and everyone it touches true peace ... CT |
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Greeneyes  
since 2000-09-09
Posts 9903In Your Poetic Mind |
Rain will dance on this grave Its soft feet'''' my hope is that you will share this with his family, a loving write, to honor a fallen solider....  In your light I learn how to love |
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Startime55 Member Elite
since 2003-04-05
Posts 2148Alberta, Canada |
One can't help but be touched by this beautiful tribute to Ryan...a painful but needed read...*big hugs* |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Ford Thank you for writing this, for Ryan and his family, and for anyone who reads it.  |
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inkedgoddess Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-19
Posts 7392Ohio |
rain will dance petals line the casket a mother weeps on the white house lawn but the deaf march to the beat of greed when will the world wake up dear ice? |
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froggy Senior Member
since 2003-06-23
Posts 1893Michigan |
For Ryan Treasured Season For everything there is an appointed season, and time for everything under heaven- A time for sharing, a time for caring. A time for loving, a time for giving; A time remembering, a time for parting. You have made everything beautiful in its time For everything you do remains forever. -Unknown Ford, You done a great honor by remembering a young man who had a long life a head of him only to have it taken too soon. Please give my condoles to Ryan's family,let them know they are in my prayers. Hugs to you Ford. Love, |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
He will return home now For all time, a soldier Never a teacher- Zippered In plastic, after long flight Out of a hot desert- Storm-back Into cool breezes, That bless the hills of Liberty. My heart goes out to all..... Hugs, Ethel |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Thank you for your beautiful replies...each one is cherished. I have a son that is the same age as Ryan was... Saying "was" makes me shake a little inside...for his age will forever remain the same, We all have a history of numbers...Now it is only those left behind that will change...To become strangers to what they were..only able to dream about the one, and what he was, before he left, before his time.. Wendell Berry says it way better than I can... *"In a dream I meet my dead friend. He has, I know, gone long and far, and yet he is the same for the dead are changeless. They grow no older. It is I who have changed, grown strange to what I was." (Wendell Berry excerpt from "A meeting" Again, thank you all for the heartfelt replies... -----------ice/ford ><> |
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Gentle Spirit Member Patricius
since 2000-10-09
Posts 13989 |
Ford I can not begin to tell you how this piece moved me. I hope, that you may share these words with Ryans family as you have with us. This touches ... deeply. yesterday is gone |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
I have to confess something that makes me feel ashamed. I cringe when I watch the news, I jump when the phone rings, and when I hear news of another Marine killed in action, I scrunch up my eyes and think: "Please not Nick." A total disregard of another family's pain, and I feel ashamed, but oh, I want my nephew home safe, and ALIVE. *tears* shameful tears, m'friend and thank you for saying what I so selfishly could not.  |
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miscellanea Member Elite
since 2004-06-24
Posts 4060OH |
This really hit me. The war weighs upon me greatly and has for some time. Last week, someone very dear to me lost his life there, too. Hence my poem, Wet on Dry, was written. I wish you and his family my condolences. miscellanea |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
 oh, when will we stop having all these senseless heartaches! Hugs and strength to you and Ryan's family. |
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
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Kaos Member
since 2001-08-02
Posts 317between space and time |
"Wearing away the name Sketched here on rock- Under green maples Whose limbs will also wither Eventually--- Flesh-leaves falling in summer- Long before autumn" beautiful, a very touching piece. War is a terrible thing to lose those you love to, my deepest sympathies to the family. " Breathe life, for you are not alone" |
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Paul Wilson
since 2002-07-07
Posts 4711United States |
ice...A sad loss that didn't have too be. It's time for this too stop so the future leaders of America have a future...Paul ~~To share my poems with you is to share my heart with you~~ |
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iliana Member Patricius
since 2003-12-05
Posts 13434USA |
So much senseless loss, Ice. I am sorry for your loss and Ryan's family. ...jo |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
I doubt that i have ever read a more stirring tribute. I know you did not write it for personal praise but, rather, as a tribute to your friend but you did so exceedingly well. Every fallen soldier has friends like you and families like his. War is such an incredible waste....I pray for the day humanity realizes that. |
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stevebrklynnyc Member
since 2004-01-04
Posts 292GA, Camden |
A wonderfull tribute to a brave man. Thought's and prayers are with you and his family. Maybe one day this mess will be over. |
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nn Member
since 2000-09-18
Posts 75 |
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Ceinwyn Member Elite
since 2000-07-09
Posts 2175VA |
I admit for the first time..this was hard to read, my heart and prayers go out to his family as well as everybody's family whose child/spouse is away...I can't even begin to describe the emotion I'm feeling.... If at first you don't succeed destroy all the evidence that you tried. |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
A feeling of gratitude, happens when a writer is understood...I am truely grateful for these replies.... I have dualed here with words, trying to cut through the hype with a sword of organized emotion..trying to spread his blood evenly over the rough stones...hoping any reader might bend and touch a finger to it, bring it to their lips and taste its salt... Many of you have done this, Thank you for saying what it tasted like to you... Peace----------ice/ford ><> |
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Mistletoe Angel
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
(big angel friendship hugs) God Bless You, dearest friend, your poetry has always been special to me and a treasure to Passions, and I'm most sorry I have missed some of your wonderful writes recently being the busy bee I am! (sigh) This is a most genuine, universally-conscious write that really delves to heart how war affects families and cultures most of all, and how unfortunate mankind continues to resort to more violence and retaliation as an excuse, an answer to other such tragedies! (sad sigh) God Bless Cindy Sheehan for the example she is setting out there in Crawford, an example of standing up for the families of America and having us understand more than ever how such senseless wars like Iraq affect families and communities worldwide! It's just a shame that Bush himself can't spare an hour of his vacation to go over and talk with Cindy, a most patriotic American mother whose own child served in Iraq! (sad sigh) God Bless You, sweet friend, let's pray this war can end as soon as possible, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Ford, thank you for sharing! May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other" |
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nakdthoughts Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200Between the Lines |
beautifully written from the heart... my nephew (my sister's youngest) has made it back from 2 tours so far...but he may have to go again...so I know the pain and fear of waiting for the return, never knowing how that will be. M |
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icebox Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383in the shadows |
There is an eloquence to your words and a purity in your thoughts. Grief and understanding are for the living. Without the intrusion of politics, the rhetoric of assent or dissent, this soldier simply deserves respect. You have honored him. |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
This stirs a place inside of me that can not find the right words Ice to possibly show as much respect as you have to this young soldier. I truly hope you send this and the responses to his family. I know this for sure, as a mother of a son, I can tell you I read your response below, and tasted salt. The salt I hope I never have to feel like Ryan's Step-Mom, Annie, and she gets my sincere sympathy, as does the entire family. God bless him and all those that have lost their lives in any war. I have dualed here with words, trying to cut through the hype with a sword of organized emotion..trying to spread his blood evenly over the rough stones...hoping any reader might bend and touch a finger to it, bring it to their lips and taste its salt... |
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Copperbell Senior Member
since 2003-11-08
Posts 956 |
thank you for sharing this. |
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LeeJ Member Patricius
since 2003-06-19
Posts 13296 |
I'm very sorry for your loss Ford, God rest his soul...this poem, gives a whole new meaning to the catch phrase, close to home... doesn't it... A grand tribute that is definately heavy on the wings of reality, very sadly so...hang in there buddy... |
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vandana
since 1999-10-22
Posts 10463USA |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Beautiful words you have written for Ryan...James |
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ice Member Elite
since 2003-05-17
Posts 3404Pennsylvania |
Now I lay this song to rest In the chambers of my heart, That's quiet now except for normal beat; Unlike when this piece was written- Under stress that followed news, This lads had stopped, that he had fallen. Thank you, poet friends I cannot say in strong enough words, How much your comments mean to me.. ----------------ice/ford ><> |
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littlewing Member Rara Avis
since 2003-03-02
Posts 9655New York |
agreeing with icey up there . . . there have been too many who have passed from Buffalo alone. |
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