J.P.G. Poems
Perfect day ©
By Joseph P. Gimenez
2010 for the Red Hook Series
Published: November 25, 2010
St Thomas Daily News
Perfect day to give thanks
for veterans' sacrifice
Once you were in uniform and
some of you still are.
Your duty assignments
sometimes took you to places very far.
From your family and
friends, you hold so close.
But they remained your
strength while your country you gave the most.
To the farthest reaches of
this planet, we call home,
You provided the resolve for
our enemies to leave us alone.
And when your mere presence
was not enough.
You showed them that our
military had the right stuff.
You sacrificed all that you
had so our country would survive.
For our Nation comes with
all the problems of staying alive.
Your family, your nation
depended on you
To bring the fight to the
enemy and see the job through.
Some times in this endeavor
our comrades are lost.
They fought valiantly but
paid the ultimate cost.
The headstone in Arlington
or names on a wall
Signified that these brave
men gave us their all.
So, if you are Air Force,
Army, Coast Guard, Navy or Marine.
Enlisted or Officer or
somewhere in between.
You know what it's like to
have been on the scene.
For some it was a nightmare
but never a dream.
You gave it your best, what
more can be said?
Without your protection, the
worst is what I dread.
Freedom isn't free is a
verse well read.
We lie in our bed each night
safe and secure,
While thousands of miles
away, our heroes die on distant shores.
So, on this Thanksgiving Day
which we hold each year
Let us be firm in why we
come together here:
It's the men and women that
we honor that go in harm's way,
That give us the freedom to
work, play and pray.
Veterans whether Active,
Reserve, or National Guard
Deserve our respect it's the
least of their reward
They came through with
flying colors that we all hold true
It's THE FLAG of our
country, the RED, THE White, THE BLUE.
- Joseph Gimenez lives on
St. Thomas