Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud By John Donne Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery. Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then? One short sleep past, we wake eternally And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
TY Dave B, you made my day and brought tears to these tired, old eyes. My comrades who passed, seldom remembered except by family and friends, sleeping in peace until HE returns and reunites us in HIS glory. Thank you again my friend. May G-d bless one and all
About 15 years ago we moved to follow grandkids and I was working on the old house to get it in shape to list. Met a fellow in a wheelchair who worked in the plumbing section at Home Depot-he was there every time I visited and almost never did not have the answer to the questions I would ask. There was a certain quietness about him that took a while to understand. He had moved from Pennsylvania where he was in plumbing and was divorced. But the explanation for his demeanor turned out to be that he fought on Iwo Jima. I knew two other Vets who were also there and survived-all three gentlemen had that quietness that papered over what they had experienced many years before on a tiny island in the Pacific. The debt of gratitude those men deserved is off the charts.
Amen, brother. Have an Uncle I never got to meet. He was a twin and we lost him in Persano after the invasion of Italy. His brother was there, I can’t imagine. I thank all of you brave men and women.
Please don't say "Thank you" to me. I did what I did, I volunteered, out of love for my country, out of an understanding of the word "honor", Please don't thank me, I don't want your thanks. What I wanted was to see you, carrying a weapon, watching my back under adverse conditions. That would have been "thanks".
Boron, I sort of get it but I grew up being told for every one on the front line had 10 behind him supporting his effort and they have my love as well.
Thank you for remembering all of us veterans.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Happy Veterans Day!
ReplyDeleteVictor
YEP!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that tribute to my fellow veterans. - Nemo
ReplyDelete*SALUTE*
ReplyDeleteI miss some of my buddies....
Thanks, Irish.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Sometimes I wonder. Am I the only one who thinks I was just doing my share for living in this great country?
ReplyDeleteYou are not.
DeleteAbsolutely you are not. I actually feel sorry for those who never served, never fulfilled that responsibility. I'm so grateful that I did.
DeleteYou're welcome, and yes, I would do it again. We are too old to run, so the only option is to stand and fight.
ReplyDeleteWell, you could target from deep cover using high caliber arms! That's my go-to.
DeleteHoly Sonnets: Death, be not proud
ReplyDeleteBy John Donne
Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;
For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.
Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
TY Dave B, you made my day and brought tears to these tired, old eyes. My comrades who passed, seldom remembered except by family and friends, sleeping in peace until HE returns and reunites us in HIS glory. Thank you again my friend. May G-d bless one and all
DeleteAbout 15 years ago we moved to follow grandkids and I was working on the old house to get it in shape to list. Met a fellow in a wheelchair who worked in the plumbing section at Home Depot-he was there every time I visited and almost never did not have the answer to the questions I would ask. There was a certain quietness about him that took a while to understand. He had moved from Pennsylvania where he was in plumbing and was divorced. But the explanation for his demeanor turned out to be that he fought on Iwo Jima. I knew two other Vets who were also there and survived-all three gentlemen had that quietness that papered over what they had experienced many years before on a tiny island in the Pacific. The debt of gratitude those men deserved is off the charts.
ReplyDeleteAmen, brother. Have an Uncle I never got to meet. He was a twin and we lost him in Persano after the invasion of Italy. His brother was there, I can’t imagine. I thank all of you brave men and women.
DeletePlease don't say "Thank you" to me.
ReplyDeleteI did what I did, I volunteered, out of love for my country, out of an understanding of the word "honor",
Please don't thank me, I don't want your thanks.
What I wanted was to see you, carrying a weapon, watching my back under adverse conditions.
That would have been "thanks".
We weren’t talking to you.
DeleteBoron, I sort of get it but I grew up being told for every one on the front line had 10 behind him supporting his effort and they have my love as well.
Delete