1967
Three sons ~ five, six and seven years old
A daughter ~ newborn
vietnam ~ a secret never told
their father and i
the weight of worry
the lengths i journeyed
in an effort survive
so many conflicting emotions
fear. love. the need for control.
in face of uncertainty ~
my ritual:
crawling into bed each night
fully clothed
a symbol of the armor
i needed to protect myself
our children
ready to act when necessary
until his safe return
Dearest Helen,
ReplyDeleteSurviving one year until his safe return... So many never made it to that return.
Hugs,
Mariette
Impressed with your amazing strength coping with the weight of worry....you should be proud of yourself.....Rall
ReplyDeletewow what a poignant poem That must have been really hard Very well expressed especially 'fully clothed symbol of the armor i needed to protect myself' makes a bit impression. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, bringing it into startling reality even for readers who were not in such a situation. (I had young kids at that time, and some Aussies – many of them conscripts – were in that war, but no-one I knew personally, certainly not my husband.) This poem has us, however briefly, experience your emotional and practical challenges viscerally. Thank God you all survived.
ReplyDeleteHelen, duty called you also with those kids. Change places, I had three boys, twins and four years between another son, with the daughter halfway between. NOW, add the different and new spouse and another daughter who is 50 in July.
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I love this poem. I feel it because we grew up with it. Love the crawling into bed fully clothed to symbolize armor.
ReplyDeleteWow - this gave me chills. This is the reality of war.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine. And you are such a lighthearted upbeat person today.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteOh wow! What a year that must have been. The worry! I had four littles too, and was a single mom, so I know the depth of that responsibility. Little did we know life would be more dangerous for them as adults than it was back then.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Happ to hear he returned to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog.
Much♡love
They also serve who stand and wait, so thanks to both of you for your service.
ReplyDeletePK
That was such a hard time. The boys I knew who went to Viet Nam were just boys, all unmarried, and the loss of all who did not return was hard. But for parents with young children--you were brave, both of you.
ReplyDeleteSuch a powerful poem this is, Helen!
ReplyDeleteSuch a moving, powerful verse, Helen! Those must have been tough times!
ReplyDeleteWow, Helen. That is a very powerful, painful poem.
ReplyDeleteGives me more insight to what you went through, could not have been easy! Thank you mom for everything you have done and continue to do for all of us! I hope you truly know how much you are loved!!!!!!
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