Mourning Count {Iraq: May, 2008} (poem) by Phyllis Jean Green on AuthorsDen

Mourning Count {Iraq: May, 2008}
by Phyllis Jean Green → (All Poetry by Phyllis Jean Green)
Rated "PG" by the Author.

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One cross, two crosses, three four five six seven eight nine crosses. 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 - 60 - 70 - 80 - 90 - 100 - 200 - 300 - 400 - 500 - 600 - 700 - 800 - 900 - 1,000 - 2,000 - 3,000 - 4,000 - 4,078. . .and the count goes on. For closing in on 5,000 -- that is five thousand -- American soldiers alone, it is too late to love and to hold, to love and be held by parents. . .husbands. . .wives. . .little ones. . . children old before their time? Friends, relations, co-workers, cheerers-on. Unborn children! All the people who would have benefitted from their contributions! For more than 4,078 men and women who did as they were told, the bell tolled. What is it we have to show? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++. . .losing count. . .++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ . . .now m o r e? GONE. This does not count the injured. This does not count the agony of waiting to see if one of the eight burned so badly, gender and age could not determined. It is too much! It is too much that innocent non-combatants should suffer so. It is too much that were I to include all the deaths and injuries and displacements, 500 lines would be too few. It is too much. It. is. too. much. (c) Phyllis Jean Green, 2008

Reviewed by Mary Patterson

Reviewed on May 28, 2008

Much is lost as the count gets higher and higher.....M

Reviewed by Mr. Ed

Reviewed on May 27, 2008

And the count goes on, and on, and on...

Reviewed by Michael Guy

Reviewed on May 26, 2008

Yes, "Mourning Count" tells the WHOLE story of the counted and the "uncounted" and reminds us of the questions all wars always raise. And there is never any dishoner in looking that in the eye...
No one should confuse complacency with a blind patriotism... least of all in this war. We never did so in Vietnam... Have we learned anything from history? I wonder?
Thanks to all courageous soldiers and thanks to courageous poets too.

Reviewed by C. McGovern-Bowen

"Mourning Count" says it all.
How very sad.
Well done, Phyllis.
Peace & Blessings,
Carolyn

Reviewed by Randall Barfield

Reviewed on May 25, 2008

Powerfully and cleverly expressed. Sad too.

Reviewed by Regis Auffray

Je comprends ce que tu exprimes. Merci, Pea. Amour et paix,

R�gis

Reviewed by Karen Vanderlaan

poignant write

Reviewed by JASMIN HORST SEILER

Oh I counted millions in my days, and counting still, for soldiers die, but should they? Is the world any better for all that dying, me thinks John Lennon said it well enaugh, it should be read often, anything else is selfserving. Bless you for writing this!
Jasmin Horst

Reviewed by Felix Perry

Frightening facts and the reality of war. I support troops that are sent into combat but we must never stop questioning our leaders as to why.

hugs
Fee

Reviewed by Elizabeth Price

Awesome write. I tried counting the crosses but had to stop. The tears were clouding my counting. Very sad touching poem. Liz

Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado

Too many have died. Shattering write! God bless our military men and women; may God keep them safe!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :( >tears! <

How about remembering our veterans from ALL conflicts, not just in Iraq or Afghanistan?? Don't they matter?????

Reviewed by Rose Rideout

You have touched my heart as we all agree that one is too many and when will it stop? Thank you Phyllis for sharing.

Newfie Hugs, Rose

Reviewed by SHERRY HEIM

Indeed! One would be too many and the price for "freedom for all" continues to climb as we, once again spill the blood of our own in the hope for a future for children in another land. War, it makes so little sense, and then we hear someone say he will wipe Israel off the map and rid the world of all the Jews...how does one walk away from such words? How do we stop the slaughter? How do we live in peace? It is so sad that man needs to control and possess that which should belong to all who live here...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...John Lennon

You really bring the number home with the physical ability to observe 5000 crosses...it is humbling and painful to see the number of lives that have been lost in battle and yet, for each of them, there are many more who live within the shadow of their loss. Well done, Pea.
Take care,
Sherry

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

It is too much, (((Pea))), but if it were not for them, where would our Nation be? Not only Iraq - Afghanistan - but Korea - World Wars I and II - Vietnam - Faulkland Islands - any other war - As the daughter of/sister of/niece of/cousin of Veterans, as well as a Veteran, myself, this resonates deeply - mournfully - hauntingly, like "Taps" - not only the dead, but the wounded in body/mind/spirit - their families - thank you for penning this one; needed to be said. I pray their deaths were not in vain -

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

Reviewed by Gene Williamson

Yes, Phyllis, too damn much.

Reviewed by Bonnie May

What a touching way to get your message acrossed. Very imaginative my friend and I've certainly got your message. Love and thanks, Love, Bonnie

Reviewed by Lois Christensen

Way too much but Hallelujia for telling us and keeping us informed. Prayers need to go out to the fallen and maimed too.