VANITY: Tribute to our most Respected and Honored Military Personnel; "At Arlington"

[rlmorel]

I took the picture, and saw this poem written by another freeper and thought the two together would be much better than each individually.

This is in memory of my dad and all others who are there At Arlington, may he Rest In Peace with his fellow Sailors, Soldiers and Marines.

[Cindy]

Thank you Rimorel.

[syriacus]

Perfect and beautiful!! Thanks for posting this.

[backtothestreets]

AMEN!

I'm a veteran, but never a hero. These men, and all that suffered injury in combat, these are my heroes. Salute!

Thank you for bringing the two works together as one.

[jazusamo]

A fine tribute to those who protect our freedoms on this Veterans Day.

[facedown]

bttt

[Soaring Feather]

Beautiful!

[From The Deer Stand]

What a great tribute - the photo and the poem. Thanks. I didn't have a dry eye. God Bless our veterans, our soldiers and those who served and stand before the Lord.

[originalbuckeye]

Thanks so much for the lovely tribute. My dad is there also. He was shot down in July, 1944 and a POW in Germany until his liberation by Patton and the Third Army. Before he was MIA (his own father died without knowing he was still alive) he sent his mother a letter telling her that, if anything happened to him, she should not grieve too much. He had chosen his own path and, if he didn't return, to be thankful it wasn't a man with a wife and young children. He did return, met and married my mom, had four children and passed away after celebrating his fiftieth wedding anniversary. I'd like to share the poem my dad sent from Italy to his own mom so long ago.


Letter to Saint Peter

Elma Dean in The American Mercury

Let them in, Peter, they are very tired;
Give them the couches where angels sleep;
Let them wake whole again to new dawns fired
With sun, not war. And may their peace be deep;
Remember where the broken bodies lie...
And give them things they like. Let them make noise;
God knows how young they were to have to die!
Give swing bands, not gold harps, to these our boys;
Let them love, Peter--they have had no time--
Girls sweet as meadow wind, with flowering hair...
They should have trees and bird song, hills to climb---
The taste of summer in a ripened pear.
Tell them how they are missed. Say not to fear;
It's going to be all right with us down here.

The Greatest Generation is leaving us too fast. Remember to thank them and all our service personnel in your prayers.

[chesty_puller]

I can't describe how I feel about this sacred place. I had the honor of carrying the caskets and folding the flags of 1235 of these men. It never got old or routine. I can't tell you their names, but I can sure tell you who they were.

[fish hawk]

I am honored that you chose my poem to go with your picture. God bless our boys then and now and in the future. Aloha