THE JUNGLE STATUE OF LIBERTY

HER EYES WERE THE COLOR OF FAR AWAY LOVE AND SHE HELD HER TOUCH HIGH

IT IS SO HOT IN THE JUNGLE THAT I ALMOST MISSED HER

THE RAIN IS HARD AND BOUNCES OFF THE LEAVES --THE LEAVES ARE THE SIZE OF ELEPHANT EARS

EVERYWHERE NATURE IS CRYING IN DESPAIR  I COULD DROWN WHILE WALKING IN THIS OCEAN OF

MUD AND ROCKS THAT MOVE

I am a combat Marine Corps Veteran of the Korean War. Well meaning  folks   say to me "Thank you for your Service".I have recently come to realize that I don't deservice this  complement.

grief is a floating barge boat --who knows where it is going to moor!?

You realize that i'm trying to fool you and I -realizing that/ try to fool you/ into thinking that I don't realize

that you have/ realized that I am trying to fool you

love is a mystery that has no master/ and the fool floats on the water

closer to the shore

HER  EYES  WERE  THE COLOR OF  FAR AWAY LOVE   AND SHE HELD HER TORCH HIGH

I WALK THROUGH THE SNOW AND IT BLOWS INTO MY FACE. THE WIND IS HARD LIKE SAND--PAINFUL -I GRIN AND BEAR IT-UNHAPPY AND FEARFUL. MY HELMET IS STRAPPED UNDER MY CHIN. WHEN THE SHELLS ROAR IN I DON'T WANT THE TIN POT TO FALL OF MY HEAD AS I HIT THE GROUND--HARD AND FAST. I DON'T FEEL THE COLD THIS WINTER OF 1953-INSTEAD I SWEAT--THAT'S WHAT FEAR DOES TO ME --BETTER THAN A FIRE.

Tommy I am your mother --I left you at your age of 5--i did not want to leave you--I did not want to leave life

BUT I DID BOTH AND I AM GONE FOREVER--BUT STILL ALIVE -I HAD DISPAIR AND PAIN AND I LOVED YOU AS I LOVED LIFE

YOU LEFT MY ARMS AND MY HEART--YOU SMILED AT ME AND YOU LAUGHED--I COULD NOT SEE YOU OR HEAR YOU

I WANDERED IN THE DARK PLACE--YOU DID NOT KNOW WHERE I WAS--I AM SO SAD -YOU COULD NOT FIND ME --I COULD NOT FIND ME--BOTH OF US LOST TO EACH OTHER FOREVER--I LEAVE YOU MY MOTHERS GIFT OF LIFE

Today is my birthday and I am 76 years old. When I arrived in Korea March 2, 1953 I was18 years old.After a few weeks of battling the Chinese Army with my fellow Marines of Fox Co I did not have any hope of living to be 19 years old on May 9, 1953.So on that day 57years ago I felt very lucky.But I was only 3 months into a 13 month deployment with the Marines.I knew that in the sceme of things I was prime "cannon foder"for   the war machine.But I always had hope and thats why I'm here today.

Fox Company is spread out over a mile of trench with bunkers every 50 feet and fighting holes dug into the trench.Also there are indentintations  carved into the trench so that when incoming shelling arrives "unannounced"the marine can move back and fit himself into the slit also called "rabitt Hole" for some protection from the exploding shell.If I move very fast I can live and thats why a young Marine of 18 years survices and a humongus amount  good look is very important.