held by the barbs, the nails – v2

Still not free to move

held prisoner, captive;

held by the barbs

the nails, the forces,

bars that constrains them.

A furtive reminder

of those we remember,

those held in foreign lands,

those missing in action

some never to return.

============

edited November 5, 2017

held by the barbs, the nails – v2

November 4, 2017

held by the barbs, the nails

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/11/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

the POW/MIA flag

in front of Ellis Family Market

part of the Main Street Flags

Main Street

Patten, ME

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,350 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

God, country, United States, America, veterans, prisoners of war, missing in action, POW, MIA, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, war, casualties, flag, remember, never forget, Patten, ME

#God #country #UnitedStates #America #veterans #POW #MIA #Vietnam #flag #remember #neverforget #Patten #ME,

held by the barbs, the nails

not free to move

held prisoner, captive

held by the barbs

the nails, the forces,

poles that constrains them

a furtive reminder

of those we remember

those held in foreign lands

those missing in action

some never to return

============

edited November 5, 2017

held by the barbs, the nails – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/11/held-by-barbs-nails-v2.html

November 4, 2017

held by the barbs, the nails

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/11/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

the POW/MIA flag

in front of Ellis Family Market

part of the Main Street Flags

Main Street

Patten, ME

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,340 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

God, country, United States, America, veterans, prisoners of war, missing in action, POW, MIA, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea, war, casualties, flag, remember, never forget, Patten, ME,

#God #country #UnitedStates #America #veterans #prisoners of war #missing in action #POW #MIA #Vietnam #Iraq #Afghanistan #Syria #NorthKorea #war #casualties #flag #remember #neverforget #Patten #ME,

they left peace behind – v2

When they left this country

they left peace behind them

in going to war, in going

to distant far away lands

Our prayers are yet with them

going as they were called;

They are on guard out in the world

protecting what we hold dear

-----

edited October 28, 2015

they left peace behind – v2

October 8, 2012

they left peace behind

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/they-left-peace-behind.html

inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

October 1, 2012

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,820+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Millenial – v3

One thousand more

of our best and brightest

our nation’s treasure,

given in the desert,

too young to die

But die they did

spent in the streets,

in the dust, the blood,

of that ancient land

The Tigris and Euphrates,

part of the fertile crescent

cradles of civilization

blood running down your courses

to the sea beyond

Land of the fighting factions

war lords, tribal feuds

ancient schisms,

we stand in the middle still

Four years of war

fatigues the nation

unceasing quagmire

no end in sight

Our treasure still in the field

in the desert, on station,

in the whirling sands

their legacy, their honor,

twisting in the wind

====

edited November 11, 2014

Millenial – v3

Veteran’s Day

edited May 25, 2014

Millenial – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/millenial-v2.html

Memorial Day, May 28, 2007 13:42

Millenial

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/05/millenial.html

In the period from Memorial Day 2006 to Memorial Day 2007,

982 soldiers and Marines died in Iraq (per AP reports).

At least 3,452 members of the U.S. military have died

since the beginning of the war in Iraq in March 2003 (per AP reports).

At least 325 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan,

Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion

of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 33,500+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Our Nation’s Best – v3

They stand on guard once more

in harm’s way, in hostile lands,

answering our nation’s call

They stand on point

in the places of death

of sectarian factions

of conflict, of war,

where the madmen

long to loose the whirlwinds.

They stand watch, they are vigilant,

where we would choose never to be

standing in the crosshairs

walking near the mines, the chaos

around the blind corners

trusting in their brothers,

their sisters under arms,

their only hope in returning home,

their comrades, save for God

They stand in the fields,

these foreign lands,

ready to protect us, our beliefs

to defend America, this nation,

with their lives, if they must,

Standing in the breach

Heroes of this land

one and all, each veteran,

Remembered a little more

each Veteran’s Day.

-----

edited November 11, 2014

Our Nation’s Best – v3

Veteran’s Day

edited May 25, 2014

Our Nation’s Best – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/our-nations-best-v2.html

Memorial Day, May 28, 2007 13:55

Our Nation’s Best

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/05/our-nations-best.html

In the period from Memorial Day 2006 to Memorial Day 2007,

982 soldiers and Marines died in Iraq (per AP reports).

At least 3,452 members of the U.S. military have died

since the beginning of the war in Iraq in March 2003 (per AP reports).

At least 325 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan,

Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion

of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 33,500+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

One thousand more – v2

One thousand more

of our best and brightest

our nation’s treasure,

all too young to die

in these foreign lands

But die they did

blood, bodies, tissue,

spent in the streets,

in the dust, the blood,

of that ancient land

Tigris and Euphrates,

cradles of civilization

ancient lands of bounty

blood running down your streets

to the sea beyond

Land of the fighting factions

war lords, tribal feuds

we stand in the middle still

ancient schisms, rivals,

tribe against tribe

Four years of war

fatigue our nation

battle weary, but not invested,

unceasing quagmire

no end in sight

Our treasure still in the field

in the desert, on station,

in the whirling sands

our best, our treasure,

twisting in the wind

edited November 11, 2014

One thousand more – v2

Veteran’s Day

edited May 26, 2014

“One thousand more”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/one-thousand-more.html

Memorial Day

edited May 25, 2014

Millenial – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/millenial-v2.html

Memorial Day, May 28, 2007 13:42

Millenial

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/05/millenial.html

In the period from Memorial Day 2006 to Memorial Day 2007,

982 soldiers and Marines died in Iraq (per AP reports).

At least 3,452 members of the U.S. military have died

since the beginning of the war in Iraq in March 2003 (per AP reports).

At least 325 members of the U.S. military have died in Afghanistan,

Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion

of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 33,480+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.