Dear son–a man now
I must learn to let you go
~~ You have seen so much
~
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
Dear son–a man now
I must learn to let you go
~~ You have seen so much
~
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
Are we not all but casual observers
This game…though not such a game that governments play
What is it they do not tell us in the name of our own good
Who are they to decide what serves us best
Are these not our lives, our futures, our hopes, our dreams
They toy with these for their own folly
For the sake of national pride we label others as evil
Without looking within at our own flaws
Puffing chests, bellicose, with an arrogance befitting fools
Answering tit-for-tat with ever greater threats of destruction
This chain of ceaseless violence, when will it subside
Years of pain, years of suffering have taken their toll on this weary nation
I ask, what have we won, show me…show us
Do we need another war, more bloodshed of the innocent,
Further sacrifices by our brave men and women delivered as pawns
for subversive economic gain
Isn’t it time to seek peace after so much loss
And break this cycle of violence.
~
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
Beautiful rose,
Tender and precious your petals
Blossoming with virtues to be envied
Instilled with virtues to be adored
The embodiment of your mother
Like her mother before her in perpetuity
Gentle at heart
Stronger than her counterpart
At times, sharp as a thorn
Drawing blood when crossed
Passionate and compassionate in the same breath
Nurturing by nature
Disciplinarian, teacher, spouse
Professor, professional, physician
Soldier, pilot, Captain
Intellectual, politician, leader
Fighting for equality to this modern day
Taken for granted by others
Unafraid in the face of adversity
Birther to all mankind
To be honored not once a year but daily
You are the treasure…
You are Woman
~
~~ Dominic R. DiFrancesco ~~
They come back to no fanfare
No parades
No cheering crowds
No ticker tape
Forgotten but for the relief of their loved ones
Scars are not always etched in blood
So cuts are unseen and more debilitating to the flesh
They hide all they have seen and heard
The things that changed them
Smiling as they always do
Cordial though their language has become harsher
Colored with the profanity perfected through months living in squalor
They do not talk in details as they prefer to forget
Driving the pain and memories deep below consciousness
They pray them never to return
Their minds standing strong in defense of sanity
What do we say to them
What do we do for them
I’ve asked myself this a thousand times
Hold their hands
Embrace them
Love them more than you have ever loved them
Comfort them when they cry
Reassure them when they flinch
Hold them tight when dreams shatter their sleep
They are not who you knew before
Their lives have been forever changed
Engendered through terror and courage in the face of unknown enemies
We must be there for them
This is all I or anyone can do
~~ D. R. DiFrancesco ~~
By D. R. DiFrancesco
~~~
Welcome home,
To you and the 300 like you.
~
So long gone,
So many tears and worries it drew.
~
Now you are back,
Safe and warm in your nations arms.
~
Tears of joy,
Thankful you are away from terrors harm.
~
You left a boy,
But came back as a man.
~
Proud and strong,
A country grateful that you took a stand.
~
You’ve given freely,
Putting your life in harm’s way.
~
A willing volunteer,
On guard and ready to save the day.
~
You are a soldier,
Out of sight, but not out of mind.
~
We welcome you home,
With open arms, warm and wide and kind.
~
You are our son,
A mother and father’s pride and joy.
~
Grown into a hero,
No more a little boy.
In honor of our son’s return from a 9 month deployment in Afghanistan on November 12, 2012. Welcome home son, we are so proud of you.
Please remember those brave men and women proudly serving our nation and give thanks that they have volunteered to protect us.
By D. R. DiFrancesco
~
You embody courage,
Something I never truly had,
Setting foot into uncharted waters,
Leaving the familiar behind,
Jumping headlong into another world.
~
You embody honor,
Something that I couldn’t teach you,
Living by a code,
One that must have been etched in your soul,
Immortalizing those that came before you,
~
You embody faith,
Something I should have instilled in you,
But I was not strong enough,
Yet you epitomize it in spite of me,
By entrusting your life to those around you.
~
You embody integrity,
Something I never knew how to give,
Still it was born into you,
A birthright gifted to those most deserving,
To be shared with those most in need.
~
You embody love,
Something I was never good at showing,
Your compassion and sensitivity,
Given freely to those in want,
From a heart that’s kind.
~
You embody all of these things,
Something I could never do,
Courage, honor, faith, integrity and love,
They made you the man you are,
And readies you for the man you will become.
Army Command Sargent Major Kevin J. Griffin
Poem in memory of those killed Wednesday 8, August 2012
by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan
Army CSM Kevin J, Griffin
Air Force Major Walter D. Gray
Army Major Thomas E. Kennedy
By D. R. DiFrancesco
Another tour,
Another chance that I won’t go home,
A picture of my baby girl,
Another reminder of what I’ve left,
Another casualty of my sacrifice,
A lock of my loving wife’s hair,
Another night of restless sleep,
Another dream of holding her close,
Rockets screaming at 2 AM,
Another miss,
Another prayer thanking God,
I’m scared but I can’t allow it to show,
Another night of frayed nerves,
Another soldier can’t see my fear,
Too rattled to go back to sleep,
Another march dead tired,
Another struggle to push through the pain,
Today, the next of many, training our indigenous friends,
Another day of watching my back,
Another day working with people you can’t trust,
We didn’t see it coming,
Another blast,
Another vest laden suicide bomber,
I’m sorry,
There won’t be another day,
There won’t be another homecoming,
I won’t see my baby girl,
I won’t see my loving wife,
Just know that I love you,
And please…don’t ever forget me.
Rock covered armored vehicle
Afghanistan
Children and adult villages pelt
the vehicles with rocks as they pass
By D. R. DiFrancesco
I don’t pretend to know the feelings of war,
I’ve never served,
Instead living the joy and sorrow,
Loneliness and homesickness through my son.
Here I sit in my easy chair,
TV tuned to CNN,
Disgusted that there is no coverage,
Do they even remember we are at war?
I remember every waking hour of the day,
Passing my sons empty room,
Left as a constant reminder that he’s far from home,
Living in squalor, among Camel Spiders and Taliban.
He wrote,
Finally I realize…
Everything here wants to kill us,
My eyes welled up with tears.
He’s his own man now,
No longer can his mother and I protect him,
Our trust must be placed in his training,
Relying on his bravery and strength.
This makes it no easier,
Weeks pass with no word,
Sadness and worry are all consuming,
Struggling to maintain sanity.
Then a brief call or message online,
All is well, could you send me a few things,
I need new boots, snacks, vitamins,
My God its hot here.
For just a few moments there is happiness,
Content that for now he is safe,
Then he is gone again,
No word for weeks.
Sitting in my easy chair,
Still no coverage on TV,
Certain that they have forgotten.
Praying for the next call.
Don’t worry,
I’m safe and doing well.
PLEASE DON”T FORGET OUR BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN
OR ELSEWHERE AROUND THE WORLD
Sun blinds me,
Sweat blurs my vision,
Leaving me disadvantaged,
Reliance on the senses,
An inconvenient certainty.
Stride faltering,
Dustdevils swirl behind me,
Exhaustion clouds my mind,
I can’t think straight,
Thoughts congeal in random patterns.
Skin burns,
Ultraviolet rays scar me,
Dirt covered crimson,
Cringe to the touch,
Sundown brings little relief.
Feet blistered,
My boots, my next best friends fail me,
Rest, not an option,
I must keep advancing,
Being left behind, inconceivable.
Backpack strains me,
My worldly possessions contained within,
Life and death kept at bay,
Sustainence, munitions, reminders of home,
All I have to call my own.
Never complaining,
Unspoken duty of every man,
Doing what must be done,
Personal harm not considered,
The oath more hallowed than hallowed ground.
Honor me,
Honor me not for the sacrifice,
Honor me not for the blood I’ve shed,
Honor me not for the widow I left behind,
Instead honor me.
For my love of God and country.