G I Jenny
29 June, 2004
Author: Mark Spencer
Jenny was an only child, the daughter of a marine.
Her dad died in Kosovo, on the day she turned fifteen.
He’d called her the day before, told her what he had to do,
He said, “Jenny don’t forget, I am doing this for you.”
“It is a soldier’s duty to protect our way of life,
But I fight for my daughter, for my family and my wife.
And even when I wonder if the war we fight is just,
My thoughts wander home to you, and so I do what I must.”
“I know you’re afraid for me, though you won’t say it out loud,
I just hope when I am through, what I’ve done will make you proud.
Remember that I love you, if tomorrow I should die,
I’ll always watch over you, here on Earth or in the sky.”
And that would be the last time she would hear her father’s voice.
He died saving his comrades, she was proud he made that choice.
In honor of her father, on the day she turned nineteen,
She followed in his footsteps by becoming a marine.
She went to Afghanistan, then was stationed in Iraq,
Because she was a woman, she stood post at a road block.
And each night before she slept she would say a quiet prayer,
Hoping her dad was watching and could hear from way up there.
I know you’re afraid for me, though you can’t say it out loud,
I just hope when I am through, what I’ve done will make you proud.
Remember that I love you, if tomorrow I should die,
Someday we’ll be together, forever up in the sky.
One day the sound of fighting echoed through the city streets,
Several civilian workers were pinned down with no retreat.
Without giving it a thought, Jenny sprang into action,
Laying down some cover fire, to create a distraction.
That would prove to be enough for the workers to get free,
Jenny was not so lucky, she was hit trying to flee.
As her life began to fade, she saw a man drawing near.
Before her stood her father, saying “Jenny don’t you fear.”
“I know you’re afraid right now, though you won’t say it out loud,
I just wanted you to know that what you did made me proud.
Jenny you know I love you, but it’s not your time to die,
One day we’ll be together, forever up in the sky.”
Then her father disappeared as the world faded to black.
And it would be several days, before conciseness came back.
While in the years that followed, she would think about that day.
That vision of her father, and the things he had to say.
And when her own son was grown, he went off to fight a war.
Just as his mother had done, and his grandfather before.
And when he was a father, he’d call home when things looked grim,
Tell his daughter “I love you”, and ask her to pray for him.
“I know you’re afraid for me, though you won’t say it out loud,
I just hope when I am through, what I’ve done will make you proud.
Remember that I love you, if tomorrow I should die,
I’ll always watch over you, here on Earth or in the sky.”
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Comments on this poem/writing:
Megan (67.127.184.78) -- Tuesday, June 29 2004, 11:04 pm What a beautiful tribute to soldiers and their families. |
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