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Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Veterans Day Gratiku

WKBN.com

by James Doyle

marches in uniform down the traffic stripe 
at the center of the street, counts time
to the unseen web that has rearranged
the air around him, his left hand
stiff as a leather strap along his side,
the other saluting right through the decades 
as if they weren't there, as if everyone under ninety 
were pervasive fog the morning would dispel
in its own good time, as if the high school band
all flapping thighs and cuffs behind him
were as ghostly as the tumbleweed on every road 
dead-ended in the present, all the ancient infantry 
shoulder right, through a skein of bone, presenting arms 
across the drift, nothing but empty graves now
to round off another century, 
the sweet honey of the old cadence, the streets 
going by at attention, the banners glistening with dew, 
the wives and children blowing kisses.


Remembering Living Veterans

We wave to hometown heroes going 
past us on streets by 
the park. We stand at
full attention,
filled with pride as the
veterans hold banners 
of red, white, and blue.Their glistening
smiles shine with
hope full of morning dew.
©CV, 2020

Using the highlighted line in the above poem as a strike line, I created a golden shovel poem honoring living veterans of WWII, in particular, the one remaining living veteran in my family, my Uncle John Mosca. As a very young man at the beginning of WWII, he enlisted in the Marine Corp. He returned home after the war, proud of his achievement but keeping stories of his duty as a private matter. Today, I pause to honor his service to America with hopes that he will hear my phone call wishing him a Happy Veterans Day.   

"The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude." - Jeff Miller

a silent flag
waving on a dim fall day
hope for America
©CV, 2020

November is #GratitudeMonth. 
Be grateful for those who fought for our country and freedom.

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