Today is Veterans Day,
11 November 2020.
I am a Veteran.
I served in the Army from December of 1964
until November of 1969,
at various Stateside and Overseas postings.
I have been places and seen places
that others only read about.
One, in particular,
I could have done without experiencing,
but when you sign up,
sometimes you don’t have a choice.
It is still going on.
At breakfast and dinner tables,
all across America,
there is an empty chair,
where once the father or brother or uncle,
who donned a uniform,
sat and enjoyed meals with the family.
That empty chair can bring me to tears so easily.
Women, Ladies, too, leave empty chairs behind
when they go in harm’s way,
but they, too, signed for it.
We honor them today.
We should honor them every day.
By their passing,
they have honored us,
and by that final duty,
they continue to honor us.
We can do no less.
To those who have born the heat of battle,
who have bled and died for us,
for me,
I salute you,
and I thank you.
I will try to always remember you.

Tweet

Comments on this poem/writing:

Click here to read other Poems by Shiloh

Copyright©2017-1999 by Rebecca R. Hammack

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: All Rights Reserved.   No part of this website, including all pictures and written words,  may be reproduced or copied in any manner from this website without  permission of the original author of the work.  All poetry and pictures herein remain the sole property of the original author and/or copyright owner.  All poetry on this website has been submitted by the original author of the work. To contact any author of the work please e-mail: dreamer@dreamersreality.com  so the proper person may be notified.