If you have a poem, song lyrics or a short story and you would like to share it with the readers of The Statesman now is your chance.
Email or mail us your submission and look for it in an upcoming issue of The Statesman. AMERICA CALLED, AND IS CALLING
On a cold December 7, in 1941,
Roaring planes from out of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Those planes came from the Western Seas,
To drop their death bombs on beautiful Hawaii.
Death and destruction was in their wake,
Hundreds of our boys their lives to take.
President Roosevelt, in his voice so stern,
Said, "Japan has a big lesson to learn!"
America rose, our country to defend,
Patrotism! From shore to shore did blend.
Our young men volunteered to protect our land,
Willing their lives to lay down on command.
Tears of mothers, and young wives did flow,
As their loved ones prepared to go.
For many long months our young men fought,
Their life's blood for our freedom bought.
Can you hear guns and bombs as they blare?
The bombers flying overhead in the air?
Each side of the battle, is determined to win,
Their land they are each trying to defend.
Can you see a gray-haired mother on her knees?
"Please Heavenly Father, send my only son back to me."
Then a sweet calm seemed to touch her breast,
Your only son is going to be safe at last.
In another home a young wife did pray,
"Lord protect my husband, father of our babe."
A calm came to her, "Thy Will Lord, if it may."
Then, when the message came, "Lost in Battle!"
Freedom! Yes Lord, he deserves more than a medal.
A flag-draped casket, please place him in a special protocol.
For credible was his service, before You called.
World War Two had just been won,
When problems in Korea had just begun.
Again our conscientious young people answered the call,
Another small country was about to fall.
Victory came at a very tremendous cost,
Thousands of our young people, their lives lost.
Then Church bells and Americans sound out with joy,
Again Peace Treaties the governments did employ.
A few years passed and all seemed fine,
Then an insiduous call came from Vietnam.
Credible men from near and far,
Streamed into rice paddies, on far away soil.
The jungle fighting was furious and deadly,
But no war was declared, yet fighting was steady.
There were marching and discord on every hand,
Against the fighting in Vietnam.
Contemptuous people went to Canada instead,
But my son's buddies suffered and and bled.
Dear God, what a loss of our finest to fall,
Their names are etched on a black marble wall.
This is the cost of our Freedom to denote,
Forgetting the tears that this all brought.
Men came back wounded in mind and soul,
But they bequeath to the children, blessings untold.
The battles are over and our Flag flying high,
Our comrades are home, with joy and pride.
Yet beyond all this it does not alleviate what they feel,
The sadness for their fallen buddies is real.
These men did not receive the respect deserved,
For they too, did our freedom preserve.
Then in 1992 came Desert Storm,
Hussein with his malicous men armed.
Tried to take over the small country of Kuwait,
The United Nations had too much at stake.
America and the other nations with bombers galore,
Quickly put a stop to Hussein's cynical quest for oil.
Swartzkoff and Colin Powell drew a line in the sand,
In a short time, dispersed were the contemptuous band.
Thank you, God, for the quick victory over there,
But please Lord, have mercy on our sins over here.
If we win ALL the battles of war each time,
And lose all our morals and engage in crime,
Then America is not your Word holding true,
Or for the sacrifices made for the Red, White and Blue.
Yes Lord, we are going to come to our knees,
Our young people, your warning will receive.
Sin does not pay, drugs are a menace,
But Love for You ... then comes repentance.
Shout from the street corners Your Hallowed Name,
Your saving Grace is always the same.
The streets are now safe for the young and old,
Through your Holy Spirit, the message of Love
Calvary has spoken, His Spirit Devine,
Will last throughout all time. by Ruth Crawford
(submitted by Naomi Bledsoe)
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