(Early Poems continued…)
17. WANDERING PATH
The wandering path is ancient
Its stones have been worn smooth
Its length has been well traveled
Countless feet have made its groove
To the east the course is well charted
Though no man may walk its length
Ancient scrolls record the travels
Of those who’ve since lost their strength
To the west it turns a corner
Though no man may plot its course
We all must travel onward
As it continues from its source
For it is the path to tomorrow
That began in yesterday
As we continue on we realize
That no one has passed this way
A trip not for the timid
Its hills are steep to climb
The weary may choose to leave it
And with their troubles stay behind
Where does this wandering path end
No man can claim to know
We all will leave it someday
But it still continues to flow
Onward into the future
The past is left behind
Men will walk along it
Ever upward as it climbs
For it is the path to tomorrow
That began in yesterday
As we continue on we realize
That no man has passed this way
18. VICTORY IS NOT SWEET
This poem was a premonition of my deployment to Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm to liberate Kuwait, and was written during my time at Michigan State University - around 1974-76. I arrived in Theater on New Year’s Eve day, 1990 - sixteen days before the Persian Gulf War would later start. An elderly man, who was a neighbor of ours across the street in Germany, gave my wife five yellow roses on the day the conflict began – having no idea that it was our fifth wedding anniversary – only knowing that I was deployed to the war.
My C-141 deployment flight departed from Hahn Air Base, Germany, and the flight crossed over the Alps enroute to the Middle East. I deployed with the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron “Fighting Tenth.” After the conflict ended, the 10th TFS had a ceremony to commemorate the squadron’s first combat action. Our squadron’s patch had a “sword” or “saber” as part of the logo, and during the ceremony all of us in the squadron took off our patches and used a fine red permanent marker to add drops of “blood” to the tip of the sword – indicating having drawn “first blood” for the squadron. This represented the symbolic first combat action in the squadron’s history.
There are many images from the Gulf War that appear in this poem, besides the 10th TFS “saber,” “My sword is all I take” and “My blade is covered with crimson.” “Twilight” refers to the oil well fires darkening the desert skies. “I’m sorry you can’t go with me” refers to my wife and son, and “The journey’s mine to make” refers to my military orders at the time. “Sun’s rising” refers to our squadron’s combat action starting before dawn. “Thirteen days of wandering” refers to our squadron arriving in Theater sixteen days prior to the start of the conflict so, “The plans are made, it’s time to go.” ”I fight to be set free” refers to Kuwait. “Into the mountains I go” refers to crossing over the Alps. “The castle” refers to the fortress that was Kuwait at the time, and “Armor shining in the light” refers to the two deployed armies in the desert sand. “The wall has now been scaled” refers to the quick advance by the ground forces, and “He awaits me dressed for battle” refers to the fact that it was no surprise. “His grip has been undone, the chains have now been broken, my freedom has been won” refers to the liberation of Kuwait.
I titled this poem, ”Victory is Not Sweet,” as anyone who has ever been to combat knows that they would never choose to go to war unless they had to – we were all volunteers at the time; however, liberating the people and country of Kuwait was the right and noble thing to do, but many lost their lives to give freedom to others. To be able to participate in giving freedom to a people or a country is the highest calling in life – and it was my honor and privilege to serve with the men and women who liberated Kuwait. Always remember…freedom isn’t free, and the Memorial Day holiday this weekend is a remembrance of all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice – in giving us our own freedom.
A new day is beginning
Sun’s rising in the sky
Twilight still surrounds me
I’ve got evil in my eye
I’m sorry you can’t go with me
The journey’s mine to make
The plans are made, it’s time to go
My sword is all I take
Thirteen days of wandering
Into the mountains I will go
Revenge my source of power
I go to kill my foe
Snowfields numb my feet
Blood trickles from my knees
Visions pass before me
I fight to be set free
The castle looms before me
The tower lights my way
Twelve days are now behind me
My journey ends today
The wall has now been scaled
The courtyard is in my sight
He awaits me dressed for battle
Armor shining in the light
Cold steel clashes in the morning
Echoes break the mountain air
My blade is covered with crimson
His eyes can only stare
Victory is not sweet
His grip has been undone
The chains have now been broken
My freedom has been won
19. NATURE’S WAY
Reflection casts its shadow
Glimmering across the land
Silence now surrounds us
Nature deals her hand
Clouds building in the distance
The horizon has now been filled
The calm is suddenly broken
The winds will not be stilled
Branches bending to the ground
Waves crashing on the shore
Thunder breaks the silence
The battle will wait no more
Silence returns to us
Waves lap upon the shore
The battle has now been finished
Thunder is heard no more
The rain has gone
The sky is clear
The birds start singing
Sweet music to the ear
The eye of the storm
Has quickly passed us by
We find it’s nature’s way
Of simply saying hi
