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THE SEASONING OF WAR
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JOURNAL #19 two old men
Veterans
we would call them
standing in a well tended cemetery
among more than four thousand dead
young men
all
comrades
once
united in the great war
it was so long ago
more than fifty years
and yet
in this moment
in these two teary eyed
men's minds
it was only yesterday
'The Seasoning Of War'
is forever ingrained
in its full recollection of
their combined experience
the flags in their knarled old
fingers
grow damp now
by clammy hands
a product still
from their unarguable memories
of such paralysing life changing fear
chaos experienced upon the vast killing
beaches and battle grounds of Europe
yet each flag's careful placement upon
the clean white head stones
shall ever always represent in the hearts
of even the yet lived or born
the entire country's constant and
never failing gratitude
as the great grief revisited
in these two old grave keeper's hearts
has to be once again dealt with
the nostalgic intensity in the moment
wanes
at last
as the last unfurled flag is reverently
slipped into its rightful place
these two men's never failing tears
embrace
the total sacrifice of their fallen
brothers in combat
as anyone can witness
and respect carries with it
a very heavy price
but do so note
we shall never forget
we who came after
such devastating loss
for love above all else
always remembers
those who remember him
hates first casualty
Jesus
he along with love and God
three immaculate parts
but one unified being
loving all.............
(Dec.5, 1998)
