Hi folks, I am enclosing a little poem I
wrote. I wrote this shortly after arriving here in the Persian Gulf, in support
of Operation Iraqi Freedom. We had been getting sporadic news from the states
and it seemed most of what we were getting was about people protesting against
the military being here. Most can tell you that I am very passionate about what
I do as a U. S. Marine. So....I felt so strongly about the protests that I sat
down and wrote a little something that expresses my feelings on the matter from
the Marine side of the coin.
I shared this with a few friends and
family. I have become really surprised and humbled at the reactions I have
received on this. My wife told me many had requested it, so, I am
sending my poem, titled "The Stand" to you. I hope you enjoy it. God's Peace.
Billy
"THE STAND"
I read in the news, how
you made a stand,
you marched in the
streets of our country's land,
trying to say who is
wrong or right,
telling our country
they should not fight;
Marching against
Marines, like me, here,
defending the rights
you hold so dear,
assuming I love to kill
and maim,
acting like this is
some sort of game;
You call yourselves
experts on what we should do,
on September eleventh,
where were you,
while thousands of
Americans suffered and died,
are you trying to say
this is something you can abide?
Were you at the
funerals as they lowered the caskets,
maybe you should remove
your rose colored glasses?
I so, want to feel the
comforts of my home,
where recently I left
my family alone,
yet I'll do my duty in
this far off land,
so you can march on
Washington and make your stand;
Do not despise me for
what I do,
because truth be known,
I do it for you,
to hopefully free you
from terror's arm,
so you can have your
freedoms, free from harm;
What is the price, for
the life you live?
What is the payment you
have to give?
Is it starring in a
movie, or singing a good song,
that has kept you free
for all this long?
It is men like me, and
others too,
doing what our country
calls us to do,
sailing the seas to
this far off land,
while you stay at home
and make your stand;
I am not bitter, this
is the life I choose,
So the rights you
express so freely, you will not lose,
You may not support me
for what I do,
But you need to know, I
do it for you;
When this is over, when
we are through,
I would rather you just
say, thank you,
for giving you, the
time you had,
to march in our streets
and make your stand.
© Copyright 2003 Billy F Dial
Used with permission
"Coming together is a
beginning, staying together is a progress, and working together is success."-
Henry Ford
Email Billy
3/26/03 Note from Billy:
The responses I have been getting
via E-mail have been spectacular, so much so, there is no way I
could respond to each one. I would like to relay to all that
their words of support and encouragement for all here are deeply
appreciated, but, please don't feel put aside if I can not reply
to all of you that have shared your kindness and compassion
through their E-mails.
I thank all of you, this is
quite an experience. Please remember all of us here in your
prayers. God's Peace.
Billy
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