Category: Poems

Sgt. Grit I must say I was glad to read Cpl Haines letter in newsletter #132 on the 28th of Sept. I would like to offer this poem I wrote as proof to Cpl Haines that there are many of us that feel the same way. Thank you to all of my sisters and brothers in arms wherever you may be in the world. May god bless you and keep you safe so you may return home in one piece. read more

“TARAWA ATOLL”
By Thomas G. Pettit 5/2005

TARAWA ATOLL
20 to 23 NOVEMBER, 1943

Copyright ? 2005
Thomas G. Pettit

How many ways do we count the dead? 1,165 Marines and Corpsmen. Deconstructing as we must, we lost about 195 per landing zone or battalion; 16 per hour of combat; one every 3.75 minutes; all in about two square miles of misery. And the enemy lost four times that many. But these are politicians’ and journalists’ numbers. read more

For My Son Who Joined The Corps

Hello Sergeant, My name is Scott Barbour and my son(Ryan) is a LCpl at Camp Lejeune. He was injured in tank school and has missed two deployments. A week or so after he got his eagle, globe and anchor in San Diego, I wrote this poem. I thought that some of your readers would like it. You can also sing it to the Marine Corps Hymn
Written by Scott Barbour for his son, LCpl. Ryan Barbour read more

Band of Sisters
PFC Golden

We are a band of sisters
Sent out to you,
With nothing to lose?
Until the day we came to you?
We were just kids if you knew.

Packin’ pounds, hurtin’ feet,
Pushing sisters til they succeed
Letters adrift, and friends we miss? read more

A Ballad for U.S. Marines
Peter S. Beck, USMC Retired

Have you ever thought, why we’ve battled and fought, for 230 years?
Why we never look back and always attack, without showing any fear.
Why our feeling runs deep and our honor we keep and never betray a trust.
Then you know what it means, to be labeled Marine, till our ashes turn to dust. read more

AWARENESS
by Liz Pace /Marine Corporal Mark’s mother

TIME:

Time as we were told could be stored in a bottle,
Slipped in the river,
Tossed in the waves,
To be found by someone searching

SEARCHING:

Searching for companionship,
Looking for that special friend
The friend you could say anything to,
The friend that would still be there for you some 40 years later read more

AVENGING ANGEL
Mari Booth

A Legion of Angels descended on earth, to wage an epic war.
Disguised as boys, they stood when called, and traveled to lands afar.
An evil scourge had arisen, and threatened World domination.
These boys became great Warriors; a shield, in defense of our Nation. read more

Jerrod (Corp. USMC) spent seven months in Fallujah during 2004, the photo was taken on the day he returned home. The little girl in the photo wrote the poem on Veterans day as a tribute to him and the brave men and women of our armed services.

A Tribute “One Day”

Am I just anyone?
In this foreign, land
Battered and homesick
My breathing uneven
With a gun in my hand read more

A Salute
by Kelly E. Lee

When you pass by a person in a military uniform, what do you do? Are you filled with pride? Are you filled with anger? Do you even notice them or have a second thought? This is my story about how one young man from Jamestown changed me. A few short weeks ago, I was with my husband and son enjoying a Shakespeare’s pizza after church when we received a phone call informing us of the death of Leon Deraps. Nineteen year old Leon, a Lance Corporal in the Marines, had been deployed to Iraq only three short months ago. My connection to him was somewhat distant, yet it felt close at the same time. His older brother had dated my sister for a lengthy amount of time. Although I only met Leon once or twice, I had heard so many stories from my sister or his brother that I felt as if I knew him. My sister often spoke of what a great kid he was and how she loved to tease him because it drove him crazy. As I sat at the restaurant table finishing my lunch and attending to my young son, my heart began to sink. As I looked at my son, I could not imagine having him in my life for 19 years and then losing him so suddenly without even getting to say “good-bye.” As I drove back home after lunch, the sadness of the situation hit me and I began to cry. This was the first serviceman killed in our fight against terrorism that I had a personal tie to. Until then, each name I heard on the news was faceless and had passed over my ears with little reaction. This is not to say I was not saddened by the lost lives, I just had no connection that would cause me to dwell on them. Leon’s death was different. He was closer. I couldn’t stop thinking of his parents, his brothers, his sisters and everyone else that now had to deal with this harsh reality. I felt as though I wanted to do something to ease their pain although I knew there was little I could do. I sent a sympathy card with a heartfelt note but I wished I could do more. We waited for a few days until they received word of when Leon would be “coming home.” I followed the news reports in the papers and on TV. Some of my family members visited Leon’s family to bring food and show support. I was amazed and proud to see the outpouring of support in Jamestown and all of the surrounding communities. I waited for the day I could go and pay my respects. read more

Anticipatory Grief
by Jack Haas

Feels like an act of betrayal
of letting go of one
who is still very much alive
My son in Iraq
and brief phone calls home
I’m fine. I’m O.K.

Terror is not a war
it is the present spectre
always over my shoulder
of two men in uniform
with the impossible news
He’s gone. He’s gone. read more