Two good men

A story of two Soldiers

Two different stories. Both are sad and needed to be written. 

Pray for the soldiers today.
Remember men and woman are fighting for us today.
               Coyote
               Proud Veteran 


Ira Hayes

Gather round me people
There's a story I would tell
About a brave young Indian
You should remember well

From the land of the Pima Indian
A proud and noble band
Who farmed the Phoenix valley
In Arizona land

Down the ditches for a thousand years
The water grew Ira's peoples' crops
'Till the white man stole the water rights
And the sparklin' water stopped

Now Ira's folks were hungry
And their land grew crops of weeds
When war came, Ira volunteered
And forgot the white man's greed

There they battled up Iwo Jima's hill,
Two hundred and fifty men
But only twenty-seven lived
To walk back down again

And when the fight was over
And when Old Glory raised
Among the men who held it high
Was the Indian, Ira Hayes

Ira returned a hero
Celebrated through the land
He was wined and speeched and honored
Everybody shook his hand

But he was just a Pima Indian
No water, no crops, no chance
At home nobody cared what Ira'd done
And when did the Indians dance

Then Ira started drinkin' hard
Jail was often his home
They'd let him raise the flag and lower it
like you'd throw a dog a bone!

He died drunk one mornin'
Alone in the land he fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch
Was a grave for Ira Hayes

Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes
But his land is just as dry
And his ghost is lyin' thirsty
In the ditch where Ira died

Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
Nor the Marine that went to war

Johnny Cash
     

               Chief falling Cloud

Just a man.
A Pima Indian.
Born on the dry river of the Gila River.


Volunteers to serve the USA.
A quiet man.
Honored by his brothers and sisters.
When leaving for War.


Became brothers with his fellow Marines.
Fought in terrible battles.
Came home a hero.


His desire was to be with his division.
He found a peace and safeness with soldiers.
Soldiers have a bond.
Fight together.
Celebrate life together.
Died together.
Cry together for lost comrades.


He was a un-willing hero.
He died a lonely death.
By a abandoned hut
close to his home.
On 24 January 1955.
Death by exposure and alcohol.


I know his brother Marines were waiting.
Had a good seat waiting for him.
Ain't no hero.
Only fellow soldiers waiting for a friend.

              Coyote
              John Castellenas


   (A good friend died in Iraq on 24 August 2004. I 
    need to remember him. His beautiful daughters
    miss and need him.)



           SSG. Donald Neal Davis


A country boy born in northern Michigan.
Always a smile and a hello.
A soldier's soldier.


If your car broke down.
Night or day.
He would come to your assistance.


24 years as a soldier.
Never complains.
Volunteers for more time.
To teach and assist the young  soldiers.  


Two beautiful daughters.
Would do anything to make them content.
Hard times and good times
I stood with him.


He trusted me with his children.
I trusted him with my family.
When I was deployed.
Soldiers take care of other soldiers families.


He came by one time a year in the Summer.
In 2004 he did not call.
 

I called his Mother late in November 2004.
She told me he was killed on 24 August 2004.


I grieved for him and his family.
Two young girls lost a Father.


I went to his grave.
His kind parent took me to his gravestone. 
I said my good bye.


I know the old Soldiers were waiting
for one more brother to join their company.


He will be waiting for me.
Soldiers must stay together.
Some scars and wounds are for few
to understand.


His girls are grown up and beautiful.
He would be a grandfather.
I can see his face with his smile.
He would be a happy man to know his
girls are beautiful and strong.


Remember my friend and so many lost to
War.

Pray for peace.
Pray for the safe return of the soldiers.
Pray for the people in the way of War machine
 that has no conscious.


              Coyote
              John Castellenas
               18 August 2009 

Author's Note

Every summer. The memory of my good friends appears. For 14 years we would gather our family together. I wish to be able to thank him for his friendship. Friends are few in a life.

Reviews

[Poetic Beauty]

This is a truly informative poem that makes us take a deeper look at the people around us. We should not always judge a book by it's cover for we don't know the story behind that cover and we need to take a long hard look at how "OUR" actions affect others. We might think we are only hurting ourselves but it could be that we are hurting other people as well. Our point of view may not be the best opinion or the best action to take. Remember to think twice before you act up something. Great job. thanks for writing this one.

[Jeff Bresee]

Love the inspiration here. I am glad I read it.

[Art Sun]

Your tribute is like the never ending thoughts that carry memories and words of wisdom to those who have given the ultimate for us who live within this country and this world by their courage to stand and fight for freedom. War may be unforgiving and some wars should never have been fought and some wars have been a loss, but the memory and spirit of those who live and those who died are still embedded within us...

forever...


great work my friend...

[Gandré]

Thanks goodness your family got you back.. this was very intense, I liked all poems. And I thought, you are a wonderful friend to write such a poem for your passed friend. Yes this is true, society would not see the veterans as someone who fought for them, too. People are too busy with their tiny details, their importance, their gathering wealth and their pretentiousness. There have been some appealing reversals, deep and terrible ones, provided by dictators of 20th century. You served and went where you have been sent to.. this already is heroic. Do I worry? It looks like I do. Worrying is the way the responsible citizen of an advanced society demonstrates his virtue: he/she feels good about feeling bad... I like how you never stop correcting our sight into the right direction. This was wildly informative and splendidly written.

[Saturn's Lover]

I loved the way you ended it.
"Pray for peace.
Pray for the safe return of the soldiers.
Pray for the people in the way of War machine
that has no conscious."

Beautifully said.

[HorrorMaster]

wow amazing job. I like the Ira Hayes one. Because my first name is Ira also.

[Sunflower/Sara Kendrick]

Great tribute to two friends...It is sad that alcoholism gets some caught in its grips...Keep the creative pen flowing..I really enjoyed that song by Johnny Cash...I listen to it quite often..Sunflower..

[Tina Kline]

Shows how tragic war is when the soldiers come home. At least soldiers are there for each other. A very sad and emotional piece you have here.

[Katie Louise Hughes]

War can be a very emotional topic to write about.. as you may already know. Thanks for sharing this personal poem, and telling a story that may have otherwise been forgotten.