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A Soldier's Prayer

Look God:

I have never spoken to You,

But now I want to say,

"How do You do."

You see God,

they told me You did not exist;

And, like a fool,

I believed all of this.

Last night from a shell hole

I saw Your sky;

I figured right then

they had told me a lie.

Had I taken the time

to see the things You made,

I would know they weren't calling

a spade a spade.

I wonder, God,

if You would shake my hand;

Somehow, I feel

that You will understand.

Strange, I had to come

to this hellish place

Before I had time to see Your face.

Well, I guess there isn't

much more to say,

But I am sure glad, God,

I met You today.

I guess the zero hour

will soon be here,

But I am not afraid

since I know You are near.

The signal - well, God,

I will have to go;

I love you lots,

this I want you to know.

Looks like this will be

a horrible fight;

Who knows, I may come

to your house tonight.

Though I wasn't friendly

with you before,

I wonder, God,

if you would wait at the door.

Look, I am crying,

me shedding tears!

I wish I had known you

these many years.

Well, I will have to go now, God.

Goodbye

Strange, since I met you,

I am not afraid to die.

~Author Unknown

This poem was found on the body of a nineteen-year-old American soldier in Vietnam.

THE OTHER SIDE

At first there was no place for us to go until someone put up that BLACK GRANITE WALL.

Now,everyday and night ,my brothers and my
sisters wait to see the many people from places afar file in front of this Wall.
Many stopping briefley and many for hours and some that come on a regular basis.
It was hard at first,not that it's gotten any easier,
but it seems that many of the attitudes towards the war that we were involved in have changed.
I can only pray that the ones on the other side have learned something and more Walls as this needn't be built.

Several Members of my unit and many that I did not recognize have called me to the Wall by touching

my name that is engraved upon it.
The tears aren't necessary but are hard even for me to hold back.
Don't feel guilty for not being with me,my Brothers.
This was my destiney as it is yours,to be on that side of the Wall.
Touch the Wall,my Brothers,so that we can share in the memories that we had.
I have learned to put the bad memories aside and remember only the pleasent times that we had together.
Tell our Brothers out there to come and visit me ,
not to say Good Bye but to say Hello and be together again,
even for a short time and to ease that pain of loss that we all share.

Today,an irrestible and loving call comes from the wall

as I approach I can see an elderly lady as I get closer I recognize her....
It's Momma! As much as I have looked forward to this day,I have also regretted it because I didn't
know what reaction I would have.
Next to her,I suddenly see my wife and immediatley think how hard it must been for her to come to this place.
And my mind floods with the pleasent memories of 30years past.
There's a young man in a military uniform standing with his arm around her........
My God!!....It has to be my son.
Look at him trying to be the man without a tear in his eye.
I yearn to tell him how pround I am,seeing him standing tall,straight and proud in his uniform.

Momma comes closer and touches the Wall and I feel the soft and gentle touch I had not
felt in so many years.
Dad has crossed to this side of the Wall and through our touch,
I try to convey to her that Dad is doing fine and is no longer suffering or feeling pain.
I see my wife's courage building as she sees Momma touch the Wall.
and she approaches and lays her hand on my waiting hand.
All the emotions,feelings and memories of three decades past
flash between our touch and I tell that it is alright.
Carry on with your life and don't worry about me......
I can see I look into her eyes that she hears and understands me...
and a big burden has been lifted from her.

I watch as they lay flowers and other memories of my past.
My lucky charm that was taken from me and sent to her by my CO.
a tattered and worn teddy bear that I can barly remember having as I grew up as a child.
and several medals that I had earned and were presented to my wife.
One of them is the Combat Infantry Badge that I am very proud of
and I notice that my son is also wearing this medal.
I had earned mine in the jungles of Vietnam and he probably earned his in the deserts of Iraq.
I can tell they preparing to leave and I try to take a mental picture of them together.
because I don't know when I will see them again.
I wouldn't blame them if they were not to return and can only thank them that I was not forgotten.
My wife and Momma near the Wall for one final touch and so many years of undecision,
fear and sorrow are let go.
As they turn to leave I feel my tears that had not flowed for so many years,
form as dew drops on the other side of the wall.

They slowly move away with only a glance over their shoulder.
My son suddenly stops and slowly returns.
He stands up straight and proud in front of me and snaps a salute.
Something makes him move to the Wall and puts his hand upon the Wall
and touches my tears that had formed on the face of the Wall and I can tell that he senses
my presences there.
and the pride and the love that I have for him.
He falls to his knees and the tears flow from his eyes.
and I try my best to a sure him that it is alright and the tears do not make him less of a man.
As he moves back wiping the tears from his eyes,
he silently mouths,God Bless you,Dad
.......God Bless,YOU,Son............
We WILL meet someday but in the meanwhile,go on your way
......There is no hurry.......
There is no hurry at all.

As I see them walk off in the distance ,I yell out to THEM and EVERYONE there today.
as loud as I can ,
........THANKS FOR REMBERING........
and as others on this side of the Wall join in,
I notice the US Flag that is so proudly in front of us every day,
is flapping and standing proudly straight out in the wind today.

.........THANK YOU ALL FOR REMEMBERING..........

by APVNV PAT(Beanie)Camunes

ASCENSION

And if I go,
while you're still here.....
Know that I live on,
vibrating to a different measure
-behind a thin veil you cannot see through
You will not see me,
so you must have faith.
I wait for a time when we can soar together again,
-both aware of eachother.
Until then;live your life to its fullest.
And when you need me,
Just whisper my name in your heart,
.............I will be there.
by C.C Hitchcock

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