Military Children Speak

 

 

 

Remember 

Remember the cold of the battlefield. 
Remember the haze above. 
Remember the gunshots in the distance. 
Remember the bugles deafening cry. 
But don’t forget the love we share. 
But don’t forget there is hope in us all. 
But don’t forget the trust we hold tight. 

Remember 

©Sarah Wilkins 2007  Age 12

 

Santa's Complaints

 

"What's in the sack?  What's in the sack?"

is all that they will say

"Will you bring me presents?

Will they be here on Christmas day?"

 

The cookies are stale, the milk is sour

I'm lacking Christmas cheer

Why not something more fitting like a whiskey

or an imported beer?

 

I'm getting old and my bones are sore

I don't think I can take much more

Wherever I go I am swarmed by children

even at the grocery store

 

Every year I have long letters to read

I think I might go blind

After reading a few of these

I've almost lost my mind!

 

All the children are pulling on my beard

especially those bratty boys

All they do is whine about what they want

mostly about the toys

 

Rudolph's nose isn't shining too brightly

I almost got lost last week

Even if it was only a practice run

I'm, afraid to go out with his nose so weak

 

Every year there are houses 

That forget to put out their fires

I don't like  not fitting down the chimneys

I think I might have to retire

 

Every weekend I go to the mall

Child after child telling they want this and that

One little girl told she wanted a horse

And another one wanted a cat

 

Then one day a sweet child

Came to sit up0n my knee

She asked for a candy cane and

Then she asked about me

 

She asked me to protect her Dad

who was serving in Afghanistan

She told me that he is her hero,

That he's a family man

 

Then she jumped off my knee giving me a big hug

Leaning over to whisper in my ear

"Take care of my Mum, my Dad is gone

And her heart will break I fear."

 

I could feel my Christmas spirit come back

from what this child wished for today

I knew that I had to do this now,

I knew that my job was a-okay.

 

Now I have to leave and prepare for this year's flight

To everyone I wish a Merry Christmas

and to all a good night!

 

by Kerstin Kearney,  Nepean

 

 

Remembrance Day

 

Red is the colour of a poppy

Red is a soldiers wound

Red is a rose for a wife

Red is the water as it comes to shore

Red smells like soldiers fighting for their lives

Red tastes like cherries they wish they had

Red sounds like gun shots

Red looks like a grave of a soldier

Red feels like sadness

Red makes me remember

Red is the Canadian flag they fought for

 

by Kassy Raymond-Staley (10)

 

I am..

 

I am the wise and the curious

I wonder what this world will bring us

I hear the voice of my dad at night

I see my broken heart in God's light

I want my dad to come home to us

I am the wise and the curious

 

I pretend to be the strong sister

I feel my mom's pain and hope you miss her

I touch the hands of those I love so they see

I worry for the strong soldiers who are fighting for you and me

I cry knowing you're in situations that are dangerous

 

I understand why you must leave for so long

I say you'll be fine, that nothing will go wrong

I dream of following in your footsteps

I try to make you happy, from when it rises to when sun sets

I hope your arrival will be glorious

I am the wise and the curious.  

 

by Danielle Gallant (15)

 

 

Afghan Song

When asked to write a song during a music lesson at school,

 this is what Jamie Mackay wrote

(his Daddy is currently serving in Afghanistan)

 

They've sent my daddy to war

They've sent my daddy to war

I'm not sure what it's for

But they've sent my daddy to war

 

In a far, far away land

Covered in dust and sand

My daddy lives in a tent

But I still don't know why he went

 

They tell me it's all about poppies

But, frankly, I think that's soppy;

How can a little red flower

Possibly have so much power?

 

They tell me that poppies make drugs

They're not just a rain shield for bugs

But, Daddy, I feel so alone

I just want you to come home.

 

They've sent my daddy to war

They've sent my daddy to war

I'm not sure what it's for

But they've sent my daddy to war.

 

Jamie Mackay (9) England

 

 

Fear of Moving

Nothing beats the fear,

the fear of moving,

and change.

You leave your friends behind,

you leave your old life.

You head into the unknown

and if it is far,

You get quite anxious,

especially if you drive

and it takes four days.

It can build up

until you feel like you'll explode

and when you get there,

normally in the summer months,

the anticipation still grows

because you wait for your first day back to school and such

Then you make new friends

and get new companions

and everything pretty much

ends up the way it was.

 

Grant Noecker, Petawawa, ON

 

 

 

Daddy's Leaving

The memories of when he was here keep reminding and playing back.

I miss him so much.

 

I remember the day where all he did was pack.

Why does this have to happen to me, my brother, and my Mom?

The slightest thing doesn't help, and it is supposed to keep me calm.

 

So far apart in person, But so close in conscience and soul.

I hate my Dad's job, The military takes its toll.

 

No only is he taken from us, But the comfort, joy and fun

He's gone away from everything The stress on him must be a ton.

 

There's nothing we can do, but support him day by day.

I'm happy when I get his e-mails, and see what he has to say.

 

What's done is done, it's over. Now all we have to do is wait it through

As I sit here and hope he comes home, surprisingly sooner,

And shocks us with an "I've missed you!".

                                        Jackie Durnford (15)

 

 

I Miss Daddy

 

Hay I miss daddy, I miss him so much.  My daddy can't be home for Christmas and all 

three of us will miss him.  I have a sister named Jessica.  She can get on my nerves but we

 can get along.  I have a mom.  She's a nice mom.  She can get mad but only 

when Jessica and I argue.

 

My dad is not home but he will visit in October.  My daddy's in Afghanistan but he'll come

 home  in March.  I miss my daddy and we want him home.

 

My mom is 38, my sister's 13, I am 11, and my dad is old.  No he's not that old, he's just 40.

  I have a dog and her mane is Lucky.  Our dog is 5 and she snores a lot. 

 She snores the most at night.

 

We're all a family and we love each other.  My name is Robert and my family is a normal

 family and we can get on each others bad side.  We're normal and we're proud.  I love 

my family and I miss my dad.  He goes away often to far away places. 

 We all miss our daddy but we're being strong.

 

My daddy is a brave person but sometimes he doesn't realize it but on the inside,

 to all of us, he's the bravest person we know.

 

A lot of peoples dads, and husband, and even sons are in the military but I know one thing,

 we should be proud for what they do for us and other people to.

 

Without dad here it's like a pie.  You have to pretend you're family and you are a peice of pie. 

 Say that your dad, son, or husband is taken away from you. 

 You and the rest of the family wouldn't be one.

 

Hay how would you feel if someone was taken away from your family for a long time?  

You would miss him.  I know what it's like because my dad went to a far

 away place for his job.

 

It's hard on all of my family but we all stay strong and go with it.

 

                         Robert Vezina (11), Renfrew, ON