Ravensong Poetry And Writing Blog by Donovan Baldwin

I originally posted this somewhere else a while back, but, thought I'd re-post it here, today, Veteran's Day, 2017.

I had to go to the Veteran's Administration Outpatient Clinic in Fort Worth, Texas, recently and was surrounded by old people (don't look in the mirror), and was reminded that they too were once much younger.

BTW: Absolutely NO disrespect to all our sisters, young and old who have also served. Just a preponderance of guys with whom I identified.

ONCE THEY TOO WERE YOUNG
By: Donovan Baldwin

Once they too were young.
They tried it all back then,
And did not walk with canes
Or squint to see
Dim words upon a page,
Or cup their hands
Behind their ears
To hear the soft voice
Which called their name...
Next to see the doc.

Once, they were the young
And salty lads,
Scoffing at half blind
And deaf old men
Shuffling with their canes,
Ogling young women
While remembering
When they had tried it all...

As the old men kept
The secret passed
Once to them
By still older men...

"Scoff now while you can,
My son,
For I am you grown old."

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Copyright 2020 by Donovan Baldwin

Labels: donovan baldwin, military veteran, old soldier, poem, poetry, Veteran's Day