Home » Archives » "HOWL to Military Members"

HOWL to Military Members

Jan- 5-2004 » Filed Under: Tributes

I received another email from Steve, the gentleman kind enough to lend us the use of the strykerbrigade.com and strykerbrigade.org domain names, which had a poem attached. The poem was written by Toni Hadley, whose brother Micky is serving in Iraq right now.

Steve used to display the poem on his site and wants to find a new home for the tribute. I'll find a nice spot for it where we can display a permanent link to it. Here is Toni's introduction, followed by her poem titled, "HOWL to Military Members."

Thanks Steve and Toni.

*****

I wrote this for my brother, Micky, who is in Iraq for the next year. It was an assignment for my humanities class, but turned into something else along the way. A HOWL is a type of poem that rants and raves about something on the writers mind. I wanted to share it with you. It is not anywhere near brilliant or even that creative, just from my heart. When you hear about another soldier that died, I know you will remember that they are not just a part of the latest news, they are Americans, that have sacrificed everything. Thank you for allowing me to share this and for reading this.

Aloha, Toni


"HOWL to Military Members"

Dedicated to my brother SPC Michael Hernandez

The best young people of my generation are soldiers, sailors and airmen
Taking the oath to protect and serve,
Who leave their familiar worlds behind and go
To places unknown, unsafe,
Earning minimum wage to give the ultimate
Sacrifice, their lives, all in the name of duty, and patriotism
Losing their identity to become
This fighting machine, sometimes known only by last name
One of thousands of others like ants in a colony
Working until they can be replaced
MRE’s, helmets, gas masks, flack vests, M16s replace
Dining out, comfortable clothes and loved ones to placate you
Blindly accepting orders because that is the way it is
This is drilled into their minds, this unquestionable authority
Sleeping in sand, with dry eyes that are never relieved with moisture
Except for the tears that come and go in moments of fear or memories of home,
Waiting for letters to hear from loved ones,
Thinking that you are forgotten, but never giving up,
Showering when possible, eating whenever
Consuming what is provided and not what is desired
The best of my generation are Head-bangers, cowboys, preps, rappers, jocks, nerds, cheerleaders, punks, surfers
Rich kids, poor kids, city kids, country kids, coming from gangs, the ghettos, suburbia,
Who are Christians, Jews, and Muslins, fighting for the same cause
Freedom that is our common thread
Mixed together like parts of the body that comprise the mind, body and soul
Lending each other strength, faith, and the will to endure
Who are bonded together as one, in the fight to be free
Innocent in days past with complacency and invincible strength
Young eyes turn old as they see the horrors of war
Who wander the deserts of a foreign country, but were only looking for a better life
The best of my generation are fathers, mothers, sisters, brother, husbands, wives
Following their call to duty, when their hearts are calling for home
Serving fellow soldiers, people of foreign lands, and making a difference for the future
Leading the weak and making them stronger
Saying goodbye to comrades not so lucky,
To see their families and country again,
Never forgotten but frequently lost,
Are the numbers of my generation that have fallen and are gone
Sacrifices unknown, stories untold
Of moments of strength witnessed by those others who endure the extrication of family and country
The best young people of my generation are people of greatness, average Americans
Who are courageous in the face of terror and loneliness,
Who don’t comprehend what they mean to us their fellow Americans, I hope someday they will
Who never give up and will never be given up on as well.
These military men and women are the best of my generation. God bless them all.



Advertisements