Memorial Day poetry. My father and my best friend.

My father and my best friend.

You became my father in 1980, Married my mother.

You were kind to me and I remember you.

I lost you, death called the old soldier home.

You were the bravest man I knew,

always gave me solid advice.

Once soldier, once father to many.

Memorial day is here and I remember the greatest man I had ever known.

My friend.

You were killed in a faraway war in August of 2004.

War found me and broke me.

We befriended in 1991 and we served together for 10 years.

I left the Army in 2000 and you stayed.

Trained the new soldiers and you did the good fight.

Memorial day is tomorrow and I go to the soldiers grave and

I know. You are with the soldiers somewhere.

Drinking the Miller Lite and laughing at life.

I tell a lonely waving flag,

Don, your kids are doing well.

Your grandchildren,

look like you.

A fighter.

I look to the sky and I told her.

I will join you soon and I will join you at the soldier table.

Us, old soldiers will know peace one day.

John Castellenas