Extra help is called for when

Age persistently calls

And we are unable to resist,

Humbly take the fall!

.

.

Accepting the inevitable,

Since cannot make demands!

Far passed the predictable hour of death

And gave in to your fans!

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“Please do not die yet!  Try to make it to

The century mark!  Then

Have something to crow about!

To that grandson of ten.”

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Scout I was in the World Was II

And was shot at, yes, aplenty!

Of course, missed, God had plans for me.

Our squad lost more than twenty!

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Squad of twelve often cut to four,

Did God have plans for me?

Through wooded island, The Philippines,

Six grueling months!  We see!

.

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No dead found or buried!  Then did someone say,

“Enemy must have ate them!”

Not hard at all to this understand!

With no supplies sent them!

.

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Since war brings out the worst in any

Man, or so it seems!

Satanic forces working longer

To the Hell-bent leans.

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Then memory lingers on a scene

To my tortured mind,

Enemy in gleeful laughter

I get closer and find–

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One of us stretched on a spit

On a fire roasting

To satiate, drooling hunger, of

Enemy and boasting–

.

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Of their capture of this one,

Sure, way back W. W. II!

But how does one forget such sights?

Memory lingers true.

.

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War times defeatist attitude

Like, burying the pain

Of loss inevitable

We shoot that one, no shame!

.

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War time horror!  How to forget?

Memories linger on!

Forget it!  Sure!  But tell me how!

Forgiving!  Forgetting how long.

.

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As long as it takes!  To see Jesus on that cross,

“Father forgive they know not what they do.”

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the Sam 05.24.13