A statements that I wish I heard more often, these troubled times have brought with them some strong skeptics and it's a shame. ...but changing subjects real quick, The poem was great. The best Map I've ever seen. Rand McNally would be very impressed!!! America the beautiful.

From the desk of THE COLD POET

"Happiness is so rare that our minds will turn somersaults to protect it" -Hwang

Thought I'd pull this one out of mothballs, written by one of QL's titans. (I deleted my original reply so as to repost it and bring the thread to light of day for newbies). Ken was a Viet Nam veteran (author of JoPa gone AWOL).

The soaring hawk,
and silver wings
patrol your azure skies.
Over rolling hills, over furrowed fields
the Dove with the Eagle flies.

Atmospheric-licious (to borrow a page from Fair's lexicon).

Dancing through wooded hollows
plays the song of the whippoorwill;

I love woods! I love whippoorwills! (You forgot the bobwhites.)

and America calls me to follow.
And I have, and I would. And I will.

Awesome.
Another KJ original to send to my naval officer friend......

Airedale

For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!" ~Messianic Jews 9:13-14, Complete Jewish Bible

I needed a dose of this and I'll gladly swallow and savor it this morn!



What can I say about this great work that has not already been said? A hardy thank you to kenyjackson for the poem and this:

"One more thing I wanted to bring up - the title of my post was "insert your country here." The meaning was two-fold. First, with a few minor changes here or there, this poem could be about a lot of countries. God blessed America, but He did not stop here. Secondly, I also know there are many countries that would indeed want to "insert their country here." God bless us all."

Thanks agian.


The optimist calling on a great pessimist "I believe that when death closes our eyes we shall awaken to a light, of which our sunlight is but the shadow." - Arthur Schopenhauer

When I read this, I got all chocked up. I was always proud to an AMERICAN,
even more so now, if that is possible. Thank you for this wonderful poem, I wish
I knew how to wrote music you would stir the hearts of all America pro and con.
Thank you is to little to say for such a great poem.


Jack

If this hadn't been brought back to page one I'd never have seen it. Thanks for that, Aire. Kenyjackson is an admirable person who is also very sincere, and I admire him greatly.

AIRE = Thank you for bumping this back to the front. I am humbled that you think so highly of this poem. I do not write a lot of poetry, but this poem is my favorite. Poetry is very hard for me to write unless there is inspiration, and the love I have for our country is inspirational. I appreciate the introduction you wrote.

Viet Nam is part of my past, part of my life, and part of who I am. I am proud to know that there are others who understand the plight of the Viet Nam soldier now, because few did then.

A QL titan? As are you, sweet Aire.

LUVLEETASHA = Thank you, luvleetasha, for your comments. I am glad it helped you savor the day. "Insert Your Country Here" is an appropriate title I think. The sentiments expressed are certainly true.

JCHILL = I have always been proud to call America my home. I hoped that this poem would give others a glimpse into the America I know and love, and why. It took me many, many months to come up with the final version. I wanted it to stir the emotions I feel. I am glad that it has in you. Your comments were very much appeciated.

AFENTON = Kenyjackson is an admirable person who is also very sincere, and I admire him greatly. The feeling is mutual, Afenton. I am glad you commented. You are a person of strong beliefs and you express them very well. I often read your Debate Forum topics and replies.

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU! Your responses have helped make my day.

Ken



There is no distance on earth as far away as yesterday. Robert Nathan

Giving this a bump and making this statement one last time. For any member here who finds that they can not maintain that this is writers and not debate forum I have this to say. NOT HERE ON WRITERS! I have just finished cleaning up a post that did not belong here. If you want a discussion then take it private or into debate.....Gemini7tat

KJ..I'm not directing this to you in any way what soever. I needed to let some know they overstepped bounds again...Gem



I found your picture today
I swear I'll change my ways
I just called to say I want you to come back home
I just called to say, I love you come back home (Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock)

I find it hard to believe that others could even find something to debate about a poem filled with such beautiful words, message nonewithstanding, the poem itself should be respected! Lovely, simply lovely. A truly awe inspiring work.

From the desk of THE COLD POET

A man said to the Universe:
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the Universe,
"The fact has not created in me a sense of obligation!."

Awesome. Quite a capture of the patriotic spirit. Your work stirred memories of soilders who layed down their lives for their country. Only through blood shall peace eventally be obtainded. Bravo.

and touch the spirits of our fathers
and the souls of men like me.-
Very nice lines

The soaring hawk,
and silver wings
patrol your azure skies.
Over rolling hills, over furrowed fields
the Dove with the Eagle flies.
-Nice imagery, BIRD-y lines..pretty words.

Pretty poem with lots of regard (for your country) infused in it! Creative title.
A nice, nice read.


~I find it easy to dislike humanity and I find it easy to like humanity...but I find it hard to honour humanity.~-me, Letswriteandshare.

I love America, and anyone who hates it enough to complain and yet remain confuses me. What have we come to - that it takes courage to stand up for our country when the "flow" is general American-bashing? Thank you, thank you, thank you Keny...good, solid stuff you wrote and I am grateful for the bump. It gives my heart joy and relief to see such a dedicated patriot here on the WC.

belesprit

____________________________________________________________________________

"Not in vain" may be the pride of those who survived and the epitaph of those who fell.
Winston Churchill, September 28, 1944
You cannot run away from a weakness. You must sometimes fight it out or perish; and if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?
Robert Louis Stevenson
Belesprit's Blog.

Giving this one another bump to make sure no one misses it.

Great work, KJ...Thank you.

-Hellsangel

_________________________________________________
I found your picture today
I swear I'll change my ways
I just called to say I want you to come back home
I just called to say, I love you come back home (Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock)

Stella Splendens
December 22, 1985-March 27, 2003
RIP

Well, I can say I am from America, and as crappy as it can be at times, I think I'm pretty lucky. Its people like you who write poems like this who inspire people to make a difference. Whether they be American or not. Well done. Its a beautiful piece.
~~Abby~~

GEM = Thank you Gem. I agree with your comments. I am glad to see you are on top of things, and take your moderating duties seriously.

GlobalEnigma = I appreciate your comments my friend. I am most pleased that you understand...

J. Radigan = Thanks, J.R. Only through blood shall peace eventually be obtained.. True word, unfortunatly true words. I am glad you responded, and I look forward to reading your posts.

Letswriteandshare = Thanks for your comments and observations. BIRD-y lines...
I guess you have a point... The title was the last piece. It just came to me as I was about to post the poem. I am proud to be an American, but I am aware that citizens of many other countries feel the same about the place they call home.

belesprit = I am most pleased that you enjoyed the poem, and for your feelings about our country. America bashing is the theme of these times it seems, but it is by no means universal, nor will it continue forever I believe. Thank you.

Angel = Thank you for the bump, Angel. You are a very talented writer, and it does my heart good that you enjoy my writing as well.

Abby = Thank you Abby. It is true that we are far from perfect, but we are indeed lucky to live here. I am glad you enjoyed my poem.

Ken



There is no distance on earth as far away as yesterday. Robert Nathan

Thank you once again for your service to your country, Kenyjackson, and thanks to those currently in the U.S. military who incarnate the beauteous convictions of "Insert Your Country Here."

I think perhaps it takes a thoughtful, caring veteran to best love America, in spite of her many shortcomings, and nail those feelings into powerful prose.

Perhaps your best work.......

------------------------------
The opposite of joy is not sorrow. It is unbelief. ~ Leslie Weatherhead

Keny the last line of this poem is a timeless CLASSIC! I love it!
"And I have, and I would. And I will."

Your storge love is the heart of a beautiful poem. Thanks for your genuine dedication.

Belated happy independence day, and blessings, to the USA and belated-er to Canada.

Thanks for the bumpy ride Airedale! This could easily receive an award for the Most Oftenly Bumped Poem Of Quoteland but boy is it worth it!!!

Oh, happy advance b'day KJ.

Wow...

I didn't expect to see this poem up here again.

Aire, I appreciate your comments more than you will ever know. I wrote this poem from the heart, but it didn't happen over a day or a week or even a month. Few of my posts ever do, but I wanted this one to reflect my thoughts as closely as it possibly could; I wrote and rewrote it more times than I can remember. I am most happy that it came out well enough for you and others to feel an attachment to it, for I certainly do. Although prose is my forte, I have written my share of poetry and this one is my favorite. I thank you so much, sweet friend. I did serve my country, and proudly, albeit at a time in our history when soldiers were not looked upon by most in a very favorable light. Even as far away as Vietnam in an era when 'instant news' was not so readily available, all of us there were aware of the constant protests against the war and the acrimonious feelings -- most especially found in the colleges from those who were our age -- toward those of us who were there fighting a war we knew would not end in victory. Still, we had a duty to perform and we did what we had to do as best as we could, trying to shrug off the protests and the articles written against what we were doing. In the end, perhaps the worst part was coming home and facing the 'enemy' here. I'll remember until the day I die the way I was treated and the way that I felt when I was flying home from SeaTac after being discharged. The memories have been assigned to the back of my mind and I seldom search them out, but sometimes they come out on their own accord.

Things are different now; those who scorned us have softened their views and amended their beliefs somewhat -- not so much about the war but about those of us who fought there. And, to me and my buddies, that is the most important part of all.

Thank you again, Aire. Thank you.

letswriteNshare, you are one of the most honest people I've ever known and your heart is pure. I thank you for your comments. The last line is also one of my favorites, because of the reasons stated above. Even as I quickly am becoming and old man, I would serve my country again in a heartbeat. And you know what? I've talked to many from my era and from the WWII era, and almost to a man and woman, they feel the same. They feel the same.

THANK ALL OF YOU FOR THINKING OF ME. It means, even though the war was lost, we didn't lose the hearts of you all in the end. At the time, I felt we had. I cannot adequately express how much that means to me.

Ken



There is no distance on earth as far away as yesterday. Robert Nathan

My life's too hectic when I fail to post my appreciation for your service, KJ, on Independence Day.... forgive the tardiness. I have always loved "Insert Your Country Here", and frequently return to it [and the War Literature thread] during times of sober reflection for how costly and hard-won is my "freedom to breathe" -- a rare privilege that carries with it so much responsibility to live well.

Her flag
The strong, oracular emblem of her will--
The spangled cloth of peace--the bloody rag
Above embattled gulch and smoking hill,
Like freedom nailed in pain against the sky.

~ My Country by Russell Wheeler Davenport [1899-1954], World War I veteran who received the Croix de Guerre.

------------------------------
The opposite of joy is not sorrow. It is unbelief. ~ Leslie Weatherhead
Picture me with my ground teeth stalking joy--fully armed too, as it's a highly dangerous quest. ~ Flannery O'Connor

Aire, my friend, I do not get over here as often as I should.

I am humbled that you still read my poem. It is also a favorite of mine, and I always make sure I read it on the days when I should, and often on days when I just need to.

Thank you, Aire. Tell your mother I said hello, and that I think of you both often.

I will post another "patriotic poem" here for you, Aire, and for all the others here that I still consider as friend.

Ken

There is no distance on earth as far away as yesterday. Robert Nathan

Wow that is a lovely poem

Really good well done!

Charlie