Poetry

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I’LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS


Vietnam
December 20, 1969

Dear Mom:

I am so excited,
I’m writing this letter to let you know that I’ll
be home for Christmas, the captain brought the
papers and I signed them all in red!
"furlough for Andy-----------" they said.
Oh mom I can’t believe it, I’m so glad I’m able
I should arrive just about the time
that Christmas dinner is served on the table
Can you believe it? It’s the first time I’ve been
home in three whole years, just thinking about being home
Makes me break down in tears. Please Mom leave the door open,
my arms will be full of presents, I bought one special just for you
I can’t wait to see your face
I have it wrapped in angels and lace

As they went to mail their letters, he told his best friend,”
I hope this war will soon end
it has lasted so long, and it is so wrong
I’m so tired of fighting I can’t wait till it is over.
This awful place we call Vietnam is so far away from home,
at times I feel so all alone
why can’t someone see that it is so unnecessary
it’s such a loosing battle, all these lives have been lost,
and oh Lord, what an awful cost”!

He sealed the letter with a kiss and placed it in the nearest box, a smile of love went around his lips as he told his friend all about his momma.“My momma is the only one in my world
that has ever been true blue, she had given me more love than anyone I knew. She’s the love of my life. Our love has been tested and tried. I will love her until the end, she is really my best friend

Just as the smile faded from his lips, he heard the sound of thunder, no surely not thunder, the skies are all blue and then he saw them, the enemy planes came roaring out of the east, just 500 yards away. There had to be a mistake, a truce had been signed for the American holiday!

Someone surely had forgotten or not received the papers in time.
Machine guns fired all around, he turned and his best friend lay upon the ground, he grabbed him up in his arms and carried him up the cobblestone walk to the safety of the compound

Then a bullet found him, as he lay there, his life ebbing away, he thought of momma, he could see her face glowing, smiling in the noon-day sun, then there came another bullet from the enemy gun. The warm lights from the city of God found him.

An angel dressed in blue with wings of turquoise and yellow
wrapped him in a silken bag and breathed on him a special powder, she flew him over the ocean blue and placed him on the front door step, just about the time that Christmas dinner was served in Austin, Indiana

His momma came and opened the door, there he stood in full array. The Purple Heart strapped across his shoulder blessed her happy day. She said, honey you should have told me, how did you get that purple heart? Oh honey I know you’re tired; we can talk all about it later. You are here and we’re ready to eat, and the table carries your favorite food.” The tears of joy flowed down her face, because there he was at the table, seated in his special place

They talked and shared, and talked some more until
evening shadows fell, She said, “ Now, tell me about the purple heart, Let me hear all about it, tell me all the details

He was just about to speak when they heard the door bell ring; She said, “I’ll be back in just a minute.” Two officers of the United States Marines stood there holding an angel wrapped box. They said, “Mam, can we come in? We need so much to talk”
She said, “why yes, are you friends of my son, Andy”?
They stepped into the living room, Candles were aglow in every corner of the house and all the signs on the lamp shades said
“Welcome home Andy, your dues have all been paid”


The officer with all the stripes across his chest began to speak. “Mam we hate to tell you this, but on the afternoon of December 20, 1969, your son, Andy lost his life in the line of duty of the United States Marine Corps. She cried, No officer you are wrong, That’s not even fair, My son Andy is sitting at my kitchen table in his favorite chair.

She ran back into the kitchen, her son Andy was not there, but the purple heart hung around the back of his favorite kitchen chair. The tears streamed down her face, her agony she could not bare, she said, “oh Andy, please come back and get me and take me to where you are”.

One of the officers held her in his arms and wiped away the tears. In all the wars and guns and deaths, this was the most pain he had witnessed in years. Then he remembered, in her arms he placed the package, on the top, it read,
To Mom: with all my love: From Andy
Her hands gently untied the ribbons and placed them in a row,
she remembered when he was little, how he saved all his Christmas bows

Inside the package, a beautiful carving called,
“Heaven, The city of God:” so real, so absolutely real.
Streets of gold were perfectly paved all through that beautiful town, the fruit trees hung in perfect array all over and everywhere, a fountain, a crystal river and little figurines all dressed in white and if you closed your eyes real tight, one could almost see the lights. The Christmas card inside simply read: Momma I love you more than words can say and I will meet you in the city of God

Your Son, Andy


Poems by Mary Alice Bowles: Please come visit this page:
http://www.geocities.com/grannymary56/ONCHRISTMASDAY.html?1133795969450


Copyrighted by:

The United States Copyright Office
From my collection of poetry
“All Our Days”
TXu 1-123-042

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