Unemployed for fourteen months
bank foreclosing on our home
moving into grandpa’s place
can’t support the wife and son
No money for my boy’s tuition
had to spend the college fund;
deciding to be independent
he joined the Army on his own
Needs to find his way himself
won’t live off his dad no more
ain’t no jobs in our fair city
for a high school graduate
“Don’t worry dad I’ll be just fine
gonna make it on my own
I just want to ease your burden
hope you’re proud that I’m your son”
And so my boy went far away
facing bullets while his dad
keeps looking everyday for work
his momma old before her time.
.
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Fine post Toritto, I hope you’re not as bad off as it sounds. The life were in is difficult, and society isn’t making much better. Good writing, and and vid, to top it off. Thanks.
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Hi Rusty – I wrote this during the height of the great recession and the Iraq War. We do get most of our soldier / kids from places like Flint, Michigan and West Virginia.
As for me, I have daughters – and want for nothing. I’m a lucky man.
Regards and thanks.
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I am glad for you.Inspiring post.
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This, in my indignation and anger over the U.S. war machine and atrocities, is something I need to keep in mind.
You are absolutely correct, here! I have not considered this, in my shallow thinking. It could be that many young people, today, are entering the military to survive. Why hasn’t this occurred to me before? Never to late to learn!
This will change my approach to this subject from here forward.
But it still brings up this, do we have the right to harm others, so that we can be independent and feed ourselves and our families? But I understand the desire. I do!
So many hard issues, and I certainly don’t have the answers. But from here forward, I am going to remember your poem, when I am writing about military folk!
Thanks, for another insight, another wake-up call, Torrito! I told you, I always am made more aware by your writing!
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Sojourner – This is nothing new. I went into the Army in 1963 for economic reasons. My father was getting on in years (too old to do construction anymore); he had epilepsy and an 8th grade education. My mom was ill (she died at age 43). I had two younger brothers.
I was 21, had a job in a bank which didn’t pay me enough to live on my own. I was going to college at night. I joined the military for 4 years, I was able to leave home and never went back to live with my parents. Finished college when I got out.
It’s a common theme among poor kids. West Virginia had the highest per capital casualty rate during the Vietnam War. Regards and thanks for reading.
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Isn’t this a sad stat: “West Virginia had the highest per capital casualty rate during the Vietnam War”
Thanks again, for reminding me of this truth!
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