it was one of those seeming holiday's
where thought did not seem to hold much meaning or mercy
for celebrating beyond the realms of raising a finger
or fork to a simplified recreation ...so me and my Canadian counterpart
headed for some syncopated sin time
and I found myself sited in front of a mystical lotus flower
tapping a lit button like Pavlov's dog awaiting
enlightenment and a free trip to Shangri-La
usually I find that in this state of transcendental mediation
awareness of those around me is blurred
and unfixed as any hell bound hallucinating dream renders
but here is where clarity
took hold of me and I stopped, an elder gentleman
in his eighties tapped my shoulder -
"I do not mean to bother you," he said
he face blessed with age and good clean living, now alone
"I have an extra ticket for the dinner being served tonight, and
wonder if you would like it, not meaning that you go with me," he
quickly added. "I just to not want it to go to waste."
I stood up from my chair, as I could not help but notice his
WWII veteran hat. it carried the blue and gold of the US Navy.
I asked where he served and watched as his eyes lit up with recognition
he said, " I was in the battle of Iwo Jima."
I said Thank You Sir, and reached to shake his hand. he thanked me
for my acknowledgement of his contribution. I then told him
that I too served in the Navy as a corpsman
"We sure counted on those corpsman, yes those corpsman saved many a life."
and we continued to exchange a few more tales of salt and ships
then I thanked him for the offer of the meal but would probably
be eating later with my banker. with that
this proud gentleman thanked me again for my conversation
and my minutes of time. but as he walked away
I thought how does one
fully repay the mighty for making the world
a safer place to be
inherited by the meek ...
I did not get his name....
bkmackenzie
copyrighted 2011
Posted for Poets United - Thursday Think Tank- Uniformed Service
