A Memorial day poem. Just men
Just men
A Poem by Coyote Poetry
First job in country of Kuwait in 1992. Move the dead frozen bodies from Death Valley.
(I got to Iraq. My first task was to move the frozen dead bodied of Iraqi soldiers
killed at Death valley.)
Listless and cold.
We moved the frozen dead bodies.
Men who were slaughtered by planes at Death Valley.
Air Force sent them to their god and paradise.
Four soldiers doing what we are told.
Working in silence.
My mind opt. out of thinking of the bodies as men.
No-one tried to claim the bodies.
We were told to move the frozen bodies to a larger storage container.
Then it would wait for somewhere to be ship.
Four men discussed the task after.
Joe told me he wanted to pray for them.
He asked me. “Does anyone care about these men?
I told him “somewhere there is a mother and
family who is heartbroken and sad.
They don’t know if these men are alive or dead.”
“Guns and bombs don’t give a shit who they kill.”
Joe forced us to pray.
He asked God to help these poor men on their journey.
He prayed they can go home and find peace.
We sat in silence.
Funny part after we pray for the frozen bodies.
We looked at the containers with different respect and eyes.
We went back to moving the dead.
We put them down with ease and kindness now.
Coyote
January 2009
– See more at: http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Castellenas/486289/#sthash.O4Rm6j01.dpuf
Joe needed to pray for the survivors as well. He needed to pray for those who by necessity must deaden themselves to such horrors. They too need to go home and find peace.
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He did. Joe was a good man. This time. The dead had the priority. The men never found home. Many families left with unknown family members and questions.
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In May 1992, I was born in Kuwait. Thank you for your service! Without your help I may not have been here today.
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I’m glad you were born(Safe andsound) and thank you for reading. And you are welcome.
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Thank you. Somewhere, there is a family who would take comfort knowing their son, brother, father, uncle, was treated with such kindness.
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I believe the same. Every life had value. War take the best from us.
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Yes, it does.
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Thank you for your service, John C.
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I ‘d never like to be in your shoes…..
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I believe all things happen for a reason. Lessons learn taught me. Being alive is a blessing. Thank you for reading.
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I do agree that everything happens for a reason, John! Provided we can and have the courage or are ready to learn the lessons! This is life! A blessing, in the end, as you say. … I admire you for having acquired this mindset after all these! 👍🌞
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Thank you. I believe hard work for the all of us to maintain sanity in the modern world.
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This is my notion and way of living, too. So glad, once again, for, at last, having started this journey into this blog world and met people like you! ☺
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You are very kind.
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Harrowing stuff, John, and very evocative.
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Thank you. I wish we learn. All life is precious and needed. War steal from the all of us in some way.
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Wow, powerful.
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Thank you. Men in the military have alot of time to talk. We teach each other good and bad lessons.
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Is that you John?
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Yes. I was young once.
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Giggles* n.n aaa yes.
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