Thursday, November 10, 2016

Veteran's Day 2016

Poetry Friday --hosted today by the outstanding Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup.


So thankful for our veteran's. I will take some time on Friday thinking about our country and those that serve and sacrifice in my nation's military. The poem below is at the wonderful Poetry Outloud website. I love how Poetry Outloud gives life to poetry through young people's voices.


At the Vietnam Memorial

by George Bilgere


The last time I saw Paul Castle 
it was printed in gold on the wall 
above the showers in the boys’ 
locker room, next to the school 
record for the mile. I don’t recall 
his time, but the year was 1968 
and I can look across the infield 
of memory to see him on the track, 
legs flashing, body bending slightly 
beyond the pack of runners at his back. 

He couldn’t spare a word for me, 
two years younger, junior varsity, 
and hardly worth the waste of breath. 
He owned the hallways, a cool blonde 
at his side, and aimed his interests 
further down the line than we could guess. 

Now, reading the name again, 

read the rest of the poem here



13 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing this, Linda. It's not a poem I'd come across before, but very appropriate for the day, which we call Remembrance Day here in Australia.

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  2. Such a poignant poem, Linda. Visiting the Vietnam Memorial was a sobering experience I'll never forget. I'm so thankful for all our veterans!

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  3. Hi Linda, thank you for this poem. I wrote recently about viewing my grandfather's name at a WWII veteran's memorial, and there is something so powerful about seeing a name in stone. It's so important to remember. Thank you.

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  4. Linda, thanks for the opportunity to read a poem that brought back memories of standing in front of the Vietnam Memorial. Vietnam was such a sad time in US history.

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  5. My dad was in Vietnam, but he came home. Twice. I was born while he was gone. I feel for all those who didn't get to hold their new children after returning, like my dad. Great poem.

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  6. Lovely sharing, Linda. I visited the memorials last year with students, found some of my family members' names, gave thanks for their sacrifice and service. Thank you for sharing this poem, giving a thought to the glory of this young man before his future arrived.

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  7. Thanks for the reminder to take the time to stop and consider, Linda.

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  8. A perfect poem for this Veteran's Day, Linda - we owe our gratitude.

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  9. We celebrate Remembrance Day in Canada on November 11th (similar to your Veterna's Day). I love poems like the one you share for the way they bring the day into personal experience for 21st century readers.

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  10. Appreciations, dear Linda.
    We have our American flag out, in honor.
    I always look at my dear Dad's Fort Dix photo on Memorial Day & Veteran's Day, on the wall all the time but it's like a shrine at these times.
    He loved to tell me stories about his drill sgt. days!
    my best,
    Jan

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  11. Lovely poem. The last image is powerful.

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  12. Wow! I missed this one last week!

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Friendly, positive comments and feedback are always welcome here. Please let me know I'm not just whistling in the dark!