Another Time, Another Place, Another War


 

We are old men now, graying, grandparents,

  those of us who are still alive.

 

We are black and white and yellow and red

  and every shade in between

 

We are crippled, some in body, some in mind,

  all in soul

 

We bled and we died and we came home where

  we bled and died some more 

 

We came home to an indifferent

 and uncaring nation

 

And we left more than blood

 in a far and distant land

 

We are old men now, graying, grandparents

 those of us who are still alive

 

We watch our sons, our daughters return

  from yet another far and distant land

 

We watch and weep, weep bitter tears

  for a generation, a youth lost

 

But also tears of joy, tears for a nation,

 a new beginning, tears for yellow ribbons

 on the Central Boulevards of Hometown, USA

 

It was a long time coming, our welcome home

 

Through misty, half-closed eyes, we remember,

 and imagine, imagine we see our own names,

 just a faint imprint, a ghost-like image,

 but our own names on those signs

 

We see the names and the ribbons

 on the Central Boulevards of Hometown, USA

 and we remember another time, 

 another place, another war.

 

We are old men now, graying, grandparents

 those of us who are still alive.


Lonnie lives in Anadarko, Oklahoma