P R IN T : Arts& Culture
Wednesday, November20,2013
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VETERANS: In honor, we read
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Robert Crom bie The Clackamas Print
Refreshments are enjoyed by the attendees o f the 2nd Annual Veterans Reading as they prepare to share stories and enjoy poetry readings from veterans and those honoring veterans. Good food,
goodpeople and good readings are always on the menu and hopes are highfdr continuing the
it fo r many years while increasing attendance as'yvell.
Continued from Page 1
Myers remembers how veter
ans were treated when they came
home from Vietnam.
“It is really important for peo-
ple to understand that the people
in the war aren’t the ones that
create policy,” he said, adding,
“the people who are disrespectful
to the soldiers are knuckleheads
in my opinion.”’^
While the honored veterans
continued entering the room,
Davis remembered stories from
his Uncle 'Smoke who was tile
16th child bom to his grandpar
ents. Davis shared a story about
one night when his uncle and five
friends pooled their money to buy
a Hurst and drove around town
wondering why they couldn’t
pick tip girls.
, , “Uncle Smoke took about
3,000 photos during the war and
this August he gave them to me,”
Davis said.'“Uncle Smoke never
talked about the war, except about
thè things that ■ directly contrib
uted to his health issues...They
would sit and watch- while the
planes dumped the Agent Orange
onto them.”
Keith Grant came To show his
respect to the veterans and shared
a poem which he had written.
In a peaceful and modest voice,
*
*
*
“Lives recognized indefinitely,
Reflected upon a field where,
crimson pedals lay atop the stems,
a sea form ed in bloodshed,
. portraying the beauty,
sprung forth from this slaughter,
immortalizing them,
allowing us to honor sacrifice,
an eternal mark sewn b yea rth ’s
historians.”
*
*
* . '
As Grant finished, the room
was silent and emotion ran high.
Lance Cpl. Joe Ballard, also
a Marine, was not comfortable
reading, but shared a poem that
this reporter Was honored to ;
read for him,, which he entitled
“Forever Forward.”
*
The danger o f this place is real.
Death in this place lives./
Keeping traditions o f ages past,/
Protecting innocent souls to the
last,/
Falls now to our youngest gen
erations o f kids.
Grant said:
*
*
Hate we constantly feel. Love we
don ’t - f „
This desert is, evil.to your mind,/
Endurance itself, isn’t enough to
survive./
You can try to understand it, but
you w on’t.
In an instant things can be bet
ter. In a flash hope can begin./
Everything changes witKjust one
letter from y o u ,/11 .
A simple line o f encourcigement
x>r afew dfr-
Think that power you have with
that, mighty pen.
Somewhere across the ocean, -
somewhere across the sky,/ ,
We jum p from planes, with our
thoughts on the mission./ ® |
No thoughts.of dying or nervous
positions,/
Calm envelope’s these men that
-fly-
Shadows o f violence cover the
lodals. Shadows o f despair cover
us a tffr j
Steel-rain travels miles, seeking
people to f r e ç f i f
You, wouldh’t believe how quiet
very loud1 can b e./
Feeling destruction’s fire is
awakening most o f alt. '
Oblivious o f time. Numb tqreal
ity it seems / F f
Lining up the sights and Hearing
your heart race//.
I t ’s ju st a dog-target you think,
as sweat pours down yourface./
The end o f someone by any
'm e a n s'
Ultimate sacrifice, or ultimate
goal?/aj$ii
. But you volunteered to sleep in
. this hole.
Listen: this isn’t pettiness: And it
isn’t sympathy, my friend/
You must remember that blood
■ got us here./
It was hard. It was nasty. It was
beyond fear./ .
So the next time you see them
say, ‘H appy Veterans Day...
■ Again. ’
f
After the readings, the crowd
had grown moderately and social
ized for aw hile. -
“It is neat that this yrill be
ongoing.” Ballard said, “It would
be, better if more people got the
word out. We only had about
10 to 12 [attendees]. It Was also
supposed to last from 4 p.m. to 6
p.m.,- and didn’t even goanhour,
but it will get better.”
Leque agreed.
No one makes you fig h t in these
“Turnout was nice,” he said.
trenches, with esprit de corps./& “Interesting poetry and a variety
th ey m u std iefo r their country^
6 f subjects, Hope we get more
not fo r yours./
[people] next time.”
Forever Foreword '
by Lance Cpl. Joe Ballard
The danger o f this place is real. Death in this place lives./
Keeping traditions o f ages past,/
Protecting innocent souls to the la stf
Falls now to our youngest generations o f kids.
Hate we lon^tanth feel Love we dont ' -.
This desert is evil to your mind,/
Endurance itself, isn’t enough to survive./'
-You can try to understand it, but you w on’t.
In an instant things can be better. I n a flash hope can begin./
Everything changes with ju st one letter from you,/
A simple line o f encouragement or a few./
Think that power you have with that mighty pen.
Somewheie uctow the ocean \omewhtre across the s k \ '
We ju m p from planes, with our thoughts on the mission./
No thoughts o f dying or nervous positions,/
Calm envelope's these men thatfly.
«
(
Shadows ofviolence cover the locals. Shadows ofdespair
cover us all./
ALE YOU CAM EAT SPAGHETTI MQMBAYS!
TACO TUESDAYS!
LL YOU CAM EAT CATFISH THURSDAYS*
AMD MBCH MORE!
x Steel-rain travels miles, seeking people to free./
You wouldn t believe how quiet
very loud’can be./
Feeling destruction’s fire is awakening most ofall.
OFF
Oblivious o f time. Numb to reality it seems./
Lining up the sights and hearing your heart race,/
It’s just a dog-target you think, as sweat pours down your face./'
The end o f someone by any means.
Ultimate sacr ifice, or ultimate goal?/
No one makes you fight in these trenches, with esprit de corps./
They must die fo r their country, not fo r yours./
But you volunteered to sleep in this hole.
Listen: this isn ’t pettiness. And it isn’t sympathy, my friend/
You must remember that blood got us here./
It was hard. It was nasty. It was beyond fear./
So the next time you see them say, 'Happy Veterans Day Again. ’
WHEN YOB SH0WCCC ED
21950 SOOTH BEAVERCREEK R
B EA VER C R EEK . OR 97004
a
'
OHLY 5 MÎMUTES FROM CAMPOS!