She is a Veteran
She is a Woman, a Daughter
a Wife -
sometimes she typed....
sometimes, she pressed
a hand upon a wound,
and saved a life.
She might have been an entertainer
who shared a smile...
she might have been an actress,
or a transportation clerk....
a civilian, a missionary -
but whatever it was, she did her work,
and felt it was worthwhile.
Sometimes she stood in mud - and
sometimes in a pool of someone's blood -
She is a Veteran,
a Mother, a Daughter, and a Wife -
Some people, also known
as Vets,
owe her their very sacred life.
Accolades for her sacrifices
have sometimes been too slow -
but whether she served
in a place that was far or near....
one thing, above all, is
abundantly clear...
She was a Volunteer
She did not HAVE to go.

©Christina Sharik
updated May 2001