A Hero Comes Home

    Those of you who have followed this blog for a while know how I feel about our veterans and about the current situation in Washington, D.C.. The following poem was written shortly after the “massacre” in Benghazi, Libya and was to be reflective of the heroic actions of two men who defied orders and attempted to come to the rescue of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and others of the diplomatic service under attack by Al Qaeda operatives. Unfortunately, those valiant heroes were unable to save the Ambassador, nor themselves, from what would become a despicable and cowardly act of murder and physical atrocity. All of which may have been avoided had the White House, through the State Department, authorized other available military options. However, they chose to ignore the requests for assistance.. It has now been confirmed that Washington was aware of a likely attack in the preceding weeks, yet they still did nothing to prevent it.. To make matters worse they chose to blame the release of a “movie” as the catalyst for the attack. Even after the facts were known..

     But this poem is not about those negatives, it is about the positives that emanated from that embarrassing disaster. Two brave Americans paid the ultimate price that day, for what they felt was what Americans should do for each other.. Shame on you Washington, shame on you!

     I apologize for my political rant, but not for the content.. But, please remember that this poem is about heroes, not villains.

     Let us remember all of our veterans this holiday, especially those who have  given their all for this nation. Never forget, and thank a vet.

     Jake. 

May God Bless the hero.

   

A Hero Comes Home

 The whistle echoed

throughout the hills,

long before the train appeared.

That let us know

that you were home,

and soon, that we’d stand near.

*

Not long ago

you left us here,

to seek your spirit true.

Adventure called,

you answered back.

And now, your quest is through.

*

You proved yourself

to one and all,

of the man you were inside.

And proof no more

could you have gave,

than on the day you died.

*

Now, they came to us

with faces solemn,

their uniforms pressed and creased.

To express to us,

their heartfelt sorrow.

“That your son, is now deceased.”

*

They told us of a battle,

hard fought,

and bravely done.

They told us of a hero,

and that hero,

was our son.

*

They said that you’d

be coming home,

and on this morning’s train.

With escort

and full Honors,

for you, our hero slain.

*

And so here we stand

with pride and pain,

for our hero’s here at last.

But, we wish to God

that for just this once,

that we could change the past.

***

Jack Downing

Oct. 2012

Copyright© Jack Downing, aka Jake @poemsandponderings.wordpress.com. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted or disseminated in any manner without the expressed written consent of the author. JRD. 11/9/13