USA Patriotism! ... "Showcasing Pride of America"USA Store! ... American / Patriotic themed gift products at USA Patriotism!

Home - Articles - Heroes - Photos - Poems - Stories - Students - Music - Videos
Quotes - Speeches - References - Great Patriots - Honor Halls - Stars for Troops
USA's Birth - New Content
- About - Contact - Press
- CureNow - Donate
- Privacy

Click To Google Search USA Patriotism!
USA Patriotism! YouTube ChannelJoin / Like the USA Patriotism! Facebook pagePinterestLinkedInUSA Patriotism! Instagram ChannelUSA Patriotism! On TwitterUSA Patriotism! at Flickr

Patriotic Poems
Troops & Veterans

Patritoic USA and Military Gifts from The Bradford Exchange Tough Tex USA Flag
 
Collectibles, apparel, and other gifts ... for Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and veterans!  
 

Contributor: Ken B. Harper || Poem Categories

1/2 Percentcountry as flag
One half of one percent,
Defending you and me.
At outposts in the desert,
In planes and ships at sea.

Every one, a volunteer,
The reasons why are varied.
The burden borne, for all of us,
Is quite a load to carry.

Never knowing, minute-wise,
What will happen next.
Will today, be the day,
They draw their final breath?

Wearing masks of macho,
They go to work each day.
But folks back home are scared to death,
And n'er forget to pray.

Friends go off to college,
At Ivy Leaguer schools.
To learn the art of drinking,
And then call soldiers fools.

Soldiers, who can field-strip,
A weapon down to parts.
Then put it back together,
While sittin' in the dark.

Soldiers, who with bare hands,
Can save another's life,
Then stand in line for hours,
To read e-mail from his wife.

Soldiers, who hear loved ones talk,
On signal-dropping phones.
And cannot give an answer to;
"When ya comin' home?"

Soldiers, with esprit de corps,
And shared camaraderie,
Who love the taste of freedom,
Life and liberty.

Soldiers, who, when things get rough,
Won't turn their backs and run.
And if they lose their life,
They'll die, their duty done.

Some are "only" wounded,
Blasted, burned or maimed.
Facing years of coping,
Daily with the pain.

Because of TBI,
These valiant girls and boys,
Feel like cast-off rejects on
The Isle of Misfit Toys.

Some will try to keep their problems,
Buried deep inside.
Then, when finally overcome,
"Escape" through suicide.

Despite the missing parts,
Pain and grafted skin,
Most will NEVER surrender,
Their foe will NEVER win.

Blow US up, break our bones,
Cause the loss of hearing.
NOTHING you can ever do
Will break our fighting spirit!

Young men and young women too,
Standing in defense.
Hero's, every single one,
This half of one percent.
By Ken B. Harper
Copyright 2011
Listed October 28, 2011

It is illegal to use this poem without the author's permission.
~~ Send your comments and/or use permission request to
Ken. ~~

Poem Use Permission Request
USA Patriotism! cannot provide use permission for a poem or an author's email address if not listed below the poem. Only the author or a legal representative can grant permission. Try a search engine to find the author's contact information for a use permission request or if it is available for public use.
Note: Poems authored in the 1700s and 1800s can be used with reference to the author.

Comment on this poem

USA Gifts Store! ... over 1,000 American / Patriotic themed products at USA Patriotism! USA / Americana theme ... polo shirts, t-shirts, shorts, hats, caps, swimwear, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, jackets, under garments, and other apparel items American Pride: Poems Honoring America and Her Patriots! by David G. Bancroft
Troops and Veterans Poems | Poem Categories