The WWII Veteran

This poem / letter was written on November 2006. But since I just joined this site, I thought I would post and share it. It's a very personal letter to my grandfather....Who passed away in January 2006

With veterans day approaching us, I wanted to take this time, and write a letter to my grandfather.....This will be the first veterans day without him......NEVER, EVER pass up the chance to sit and talk with an old vet

An Open Letter to my Zdia-Zdia, a WWII Veteran,
Normandy, June 6th, 1944, THE BIG RED 1 DIVISION

It would be cruel to give you pity, though I am touched by your condition. As I sit and visualize you slowly walking across the room, hands rough and tattered, a body that is spent, and eyes that are old, yet has the young at heart desire to speak of so many stories. You are much older than I. Tears fill my eyes, because as you see me, a gigantic smile illuminates your face as you slowly scuffle past me.

My tears come because as I have become selfish in my own ways, you never once faltered, as you forged into battle. I was oblivious to your pain. I never heard you cry out. The desperate sounds of you and your comrades praying out loud on that unforgiving day. June 6th, 1944 you and others quickly learned what death, evil, and fear truly meant. It was all around you. The carnage of young men drowning in the too deep waters. Waves that were heavy with the blood of soldiers that never even made it to the beach. Utah Beach, Omaha Beach, Gold Beach, Juno Beach and Sword Beach. Normandy, D-Day, June 6th, 1944, WWII. These are now names that will forever be branded in my mind and seared into my heart. You did manage to survive, though time was subtracted from your life span. You have taught me MORE than any school book or class could ever. The nightmares, the stories, the shell shock, the visions of your buddies crying out to you in a slow, painful death. These are stories that only a man who was there, could speak of. Sadly, there were many others that day who did not get what they probably wanted most - a tomorrow.

As I sit now in remembrance of you and observe this very special yet bittersweet day, I want to shout out "THANK YOU" at the top of my voice. I want to go to your house and sit and talk...in memory of those who perished that day, and years after. I want to listen to the stories, look at the pictures, and cry with you. But, I cannot. This is the first year without you. This is the first veterans day, that I will not be able to hug you and thank you. Instead, I will be visiting your grave. I will set flags, in place of your hugs. I will talk to you, knowing I will not receive a response back. I will kiss your headstone, knowing fully I will not be receiving a kiss back. And yes, I will cry. So, in your honor Zdia-Zdia I will say it in this way, through a letter as well, so that not only you, but others, especially those who have no smile, will know also of my gratitude. There are still others out there who lost even more. A mind that does not heal, eyes that cannot see, and ears that cannot hear.

I must stop now, for my tears are clouding my vision. Life is like that, filled with half-expressed feelings, and unfortunately this is all I can give. An inadequate, "Thank you", for spending yourself in battle for me. May I live a life worthy of what you paid for.

Love to you always,
Missing you more
Your grand-daughter