Bronze Letters
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:21 pm
Greetings, Shipmates -
April is National Poetry Month so I thought I would share a poem I started during my "nuc" training at the D1G prototype near Saratoga Springs, New York. They had a nice city park that I would often visit to relieve the stress of the long hours of studying and qualifying. Those of you who had the second phase of nuclear power training at the West Milton site will surely remember the park. The poem, begun in February, 1967 was finished on the 627 while on patrol (as were a lot of poems).
Thank you for your interest in the poetry and prose section of the Madison Reunion website.
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BRONZE LETTERS
I was drawn to them like the evening shadows:
A group of columns on a quiet lake,
A memorial erected to honor a gallant few;
Men who died in War’s terrible wake.
But for these men, whose names appear here,
Embossed in bronze that goes unpolished;
I might be living in constant fear
Or rebuilding a country demolished.
Surely, “Greater love hath no man than this,
That he lay down his life for his friends.”
For they fought for freedom with gun and fist,
And prayed constantly for the fighting to end.
I serve now because of people like Lt. Francis A. Nolen,
Help me, God, to do my part;
Give me strength, speed and nerve,
But most of all, give me a thankful heart!
Inspired by a war memorial at Saratoga Springs, NY
(D1G Prototype Training - West Milton, NY February 1967)
Copyright # TXu001882466
April is National Poetry Month so I thought I would share a poem I started during my "nuc" training at the D1G prototype near Saratoga Springs, New York. They had a nice city park that I would often visit to relieve the stress of the long hours of studying and qualifying. Those of you who had the second phase of nuclear power training at the West Milton site will surely remember the park. The poem, begun in February, 1967 was finished on the 627 while on patrol (as were a lot of poems).
Thank you for your interest in the poetry and prose section of the Madison Reunion website.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BRONZE LETTERS
I was drawn to them like the evening shadows:
A group of columns on a quiet lake,
A memorial erected to honor a gallant few;
Men who died in War’s terrible wake.
But for these men, whose names appear here,
Embossed in bronze that goes unpolished;
I might be living in constant fear
Or rebuilding a country demolished.
Surely, “Greater love hath no man than this,
That he lay down his life for his friends.”
For they fought for freedom with gun and fist,
And prayed constantly for the fighting to end.
I serve now because of people like Lt. Francis A. Nolen,
Help me, God, to do my part;
Give me strength, speed and nerve,
But most of all, give me a thankful heart!
Inspired by a war memorial at Saratoga Springs, NY
(D1G Prototype Training - West Milton, NY February 1967)
Copyright # TXu001882466