Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Gone


Not tho' the soldier knew

Someone had blunder'd:

Their's not to make reply,

Their's not to reason why,

Their's but to do and die:
I missed America's episode of Empire building in the early 70's. Not that America did not want me. My lottery number was 33. That was a clinching number in 1971. I failed my induction physical. 4-F. It is amazing what a pacifist Swedish Doctor with connections can do.
I remember early college hanging out with some older guys...... 23-24, who had amazing adaptations. Glass eyes and patchwork faces. One dude had the neatest roach-clip for a left hand.
I miss some of them, now, very much...... Rusty and Doug Boone, Nellie and Krazy Karl.
It is what it is and it was what it was and it ain't no deal now, but it is much easier to plant flowers than it is to plant friends.

7 comments:

Randal Graves said...

Too often our most human endeavor.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to imagine that we would put another generation through that.

Anonymous said...

As long as, for the most part, the ones who decide don't send their sons and daughters to war, we will continue to go to war. It's so thoroughly wasteful in every respect. The madness seems never to end.

Billie Greenwood said...

And civilian deaths and wounded as well...as long as it's in someone else's country we don't worry about that either.

Utah Savage said...

What all the others said more eloquently than I could.

Missy said...

it is much easier to plant flowers than it is to plant friends.

Amen.

Anonymous said...

I'm both grateful for those kids before me and after me who served, and for the fact that I did not have to. Great post!

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