Hello dear blog friends! I've been quiet for a while, just dealing with the stuff of life. Today I'm sharing a poem, my response to a Tanka Tuesday prompt. You can see the photo below. Before I invite you to read my poem, I want to share a little about me.
My career was in higher education. For the last ten years of that work, I was an administrator in a college in southern California. It was located near Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base. Many Marine veterans enrolled in this college. Almost all had served in Afghanistan. They had enlisted after 9/11.
Part of my responsibility was Veteran Affairs. The vets at this college were mostly Marines, and most sustained injuries, both visible and invisible. I never heard any of them complain about their handicaps. Their courage, pride, and their dedication humble me to this day.
I could relay many stories, but what I want to share with this post is that my heart aches for all the men and women who served in Afghanistan and now wonder why. My heart breaks for the our citizens in that country, for our allies who struggle to get out, and for the Afghan people who now run for their lives. The images haunt me throughout the day and all I can do is pray.
Author Colleen Chesebro offered the photo prompt below. When I first saw it, I thought to write about the night sky, but then the images of Afghanistan darted across my TV screen. My response to the photo is three stanzas of my own syllabic creation (3-3-4-4-5-5-6-6) and I have titled it Forgiveness.
My career was in higher education. For the last ten years of that work, I was an administrator in a college in southern California. It was located near Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base. Many Marine veterans enrolled in this college. Almost all had served in Afghanistan. They had enlisted after 9/11.
Part of my responsibility was Veteran Affairs. The vets at this college were mostly Marines, and most sustained injuries, both visible and invisible. I never heard any of them complain about their handicaps. Their courage, pride, and their dedication humble me to this day.
I could relay many stories, but what I want to share with this post is that my heart aches for all the men and women who served in Afghanistan and now wonder why. My heart breaks for the our citizens in that country, for our allies who struggle to get out, and for the Afghan people who now run for their lives. The images haunt me throughout the day and all I can do is pray.
Author Colleen Chesebro offered the photo prompt below. When I first saw it, I thought to write about the night sky, but then the images of Afghanistan darted across my TV screen. My response to the photo is three stanzas of my own syllabic creation (3-3-4-4-5-5-6-6) and I have titled it Forgiveness.
Getty photo
FORGIVENESS
no rooftop
tall enough
no megaphone
to hold the screams
tears ripping through hearts
swell to the heavens
where they plead assistance
while we bow low in shame
rivers run
red with pain
fear holds children
no warm embrace
one refrain echoes
run faster my child
but desperation leads
there's no safe hiding place
together
we share life
under one sky
where stars delight
your pain is now ours
we suffer our failure
brokenhearted we see
hopefully not too late
no rooftop
tall enough
no megaphone
to hold the screams
tears ripping through hearts
swell to the heavens
where they plead assistance
while we bow low in shame
rivers run
red with pain
fear holds children
no warm embrace
one refrain echoes
run faster my child
but desperation leads
there's no safe hiding place
together
we share life
under one sky
where stars delight
your pain is now ours
we suffer our failure
brokenhearted we see
hopefully not too late
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