My Boy is Coming Home Today - a Cold Warrior's Poem

I woke up this morning as the sun was peaking through the curtains from a sound, level 4 REM sleep, dreaming of days gone by. It was the early 1970s, towards the end of the Vietnam War era, a part of my life that seems to creep back into to mind way too often now. Especially when I learn of a fellow veteran of those years passing on, as I learned twice in the past week. One from natural causes and one from suicide.

As an aspiring writer, I've trained myself to immediately write down my dreams for future story fodder. As I did so, the following poem emerged. It follows the dream sequence. Please excuse the structure for it is the first poem I have ever written.

MY BOY IS COMING HOME TODAY

My boy is coming home today
          Smartly dressed children at play
          Proud woman pressing his shirt
My boy is coming home today
          Military man's photo on a mantel
          The doorbell rings, it is time
My boy is coming home today
          Apprehension swells for all
          A row of black cars at the ready
My boy is coming home today
          Silent procession through the streets
          A strong hand holds hers
My boy is coming home today
          Red, white, and blue
          Folded flag, volley fire, taps
My boy is coming home today
          He always stood up for others
          And gave his life for them

My boy came home today


Please feel free to share this poem with others through social media, email, etc. Share it with your friends, relatives, and veterans where it may mean something to that person.

The copyright statement below is for anyone who would use this for commercial purposes. For that person, please connect with me at proudcoldwarrior@gmail.com, and we can discuss royalty compensation.

Copyright © 2014-2015 by John Kairis & Kairis Family Enterprises (KFE) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.