Memorial Day Celebration Time again; thank GOD for veterans.

I, Gloria Poole, born in state of Georgia but residing in Missouri am "recycling" photos I photographed in yr 2012 at the air show in Missouri to celebrate Memorial Day. In first photo below guys in green are in U S Military but all people in these photos are unknown to me but it was a public exhibit so photos are ok.

US Navy Mt-53E Sea Dragon helicopter on Memorial Day 2012 photo-by-gloriapoole [Gloria Poole] in Missouri at air show; people were in public

Propeller and cockpit  of air show plane, photo-by-gloriapoole [Gloria Poole] of Missouri yr 2012

Close-up of propeller air show Memorial Day 2012 photo-by-gloriapoole [Gloria Poole] of Missouri

Harrier jet photo by Gloria Poole /photo-by-gloriapoole of Missouri; 2012 air show Memorial Day in Missouri

P51 Mustang Vintage plane photo-by-gloriapoole / photo by Gloria Poole of Missouri at memorial Day air show Missouri yr 2012

 This is what I wrote in year 2012  to mark the occasion of Memorial Day in the U S for the U S Military:

The Fighting Men

by Gloria Poole

The fighting men 

who fought; 

some died.

Others left body parts

on foreign soil.

With weapon in hand;

and courage in heart,

they face the enemy,

sometimes eye to eye;

sometimes not.

At times, a rustling noise,

or the whizzzzz of a grenade

flying through the air with pin pulled

are the first clues

of enemy approach.

They put their lives on the line. 

At their duty stations,

they are sitting ducks.

and on their walkabout patrols.

The enemy watches too.

Watches for a lapse 

in faithfulness, or 

a split second in time

when the path is clear 

to lob a grenade; 

or put the X sight on the heart or head

of the watchman.

What does fear taste like?

A metallic dry mouth, so I am told.

What does fear smell like?

The smells of the battle:

of blood,smoke,fire,dirt,dust;

sometimes rain.

The fighting men;

who volunteer

for the life changing event

of U S Military, 

are men.

Not wimps.

Not sissies.

Not cry babies.

Not mama's boys.

but men.

Men,

who know that somebody's life 

might depend on them.

That maybe a whole lot of nobodys' lives

depend on them.

Men.

Men who learn 

a super diligence

to watch every movement;

assess the land quickly,

with an eye for an escape,

and a back up plan,

if the first plan fails.

Men, who know they 

must have backbones

like a steel beam.

Men who learn that when confronted

 with enemy combatant, they must not blink.

They know they may have only one

chance to save their own lives.

Men, who know they cannot risk 

the idle mind, or the wayward thoughts;

or the distractions of 

sound making devices;

or chatter.

Men, who know that every day 

could be their last on earth;

that their next breath

could produce blood;

that they could slip into eternity

via assassin's bullet.

The fighting men,

who with their lives

 secure the freedoms;

and underwrite the cause

 of the land of the free

 and the home of the brave.

We, the people, 

of the United States,

owe them a debt

 that cannot be paid, 

with mere money or perqs; 

but requires the heart 

of the nation, 

covering them with prayer. 

Making intercession to THE ALMIGHTY,

pleading for the innocent

before GOD,

the maker of all, 

on bended knees.

The Memorial day 

when wreaths are laid;

and speeches are given;

and fly-pasts occur;

to set aside a time 

to remember, to thank,

to adulate;

the fighting men.

This is my tribute of praise

to the fighting men

around the world; 

who daily recommit 

to the nation; 

to the First Amendment;

to civil liberties to live,

speak,protest;

that which is immoral; 

and injustice.

I salute you,

fighting men of the U S A

Copyright Notice: this blog and all content, all words, all photos and all art on it are the exclusive property of me Gloria Poole,RN, artist of Missouri [but I was born in state of Georgia and am a US citizen with First Amendment liberties]. This blog or its content post by post may not be copied, downloaded, published, printed at remote by anyone; transferred, saved to disk by anyone but me. It is intellectual property covered by U S copyright laws and international copyright laws as original content created, and or photographed and or written by me Gloria Poole.  See full disclosure statement and copyright notice on my blog https://gloriapoole.blogspot.com on the about me page and on the about me page on this blog that I incorporate by reference for more information that could affect copyright enquiries.

Gloria Poole / Gloria / gloria0817 / gpoole817 / gloria-poole / gloria.poole / gloriapoole1749 / Ms Gloria Poole / Poole, Gloria / gloriapoole / photo-by-gloriapoole / @gloriapoole / artist-gloriapoole / Gloria Poole, RN, artist , at my own private apt in Missouri, 23 May 2014 at 4:54pm.