He Gave All

His whole life
He gave his all
Playing checkers
Or playing ball

To be the best
Was his goal
He always gave
His heart

War Poem (Gulf War I)

And when the war ended
I shoved newspaper piles into
The bottom drawer, hidden
Like so much garbage.
Muted

I spent many nights wondering...
A mother knowing that her son is a world away, but...
is he safe?
is he in battle?
is he dead?
I

Somewhere beyond the horizon,
Past where my eyes can see.
There are soldiers fighting.
They are trying to protect me.

They are

From across an ocean,

The danger doesn't seem so real.

But, when I know he is in the middle of it,

My stomach sinks to the