Lady Liberty Cries- A Veterans Day Poem
Lady Liberty cries
tears no one can see.
Another Veteran's Day will come and go
It passes as quick as parade
Is, in short, underpaid.
Ribbons of support with no actions,
Administration's gain, patriotic fractions.

The budget for Veteran's health
may come along soon, but late.
In the meantime, sit and wait,

There is a delay in your care,
the funding is simply not there.
or if you're a soldier, here's another tour.

Give service to your country
swear by oath to honor
the rights of life and liberty.
We will show our gratitude with years of grief.

Not one of the freedoms and rights we enjoy
were given for free, ask any military family you see.
Living lives too many fail to see,
far too long on the streets, in homes here and there,
where no one could show one ounce of care.

His life in the hand of a system too slow.
One night the cold winter air took his breath
as he found the only bed he was given was death.

Meet Charles they gathered up pills to help him be mute, drool and stare.
I was told he met with many an unknowing doctor,
who had lived only in the land of the free
and had never seen war except on TV
He ran as long as he could from his battle scenes
invading his head his daytime and dreams.

In the night he could not turn down the screams.
He died to his own bullet that brings, death many an honorable soldier and vet.
Lady Liberty reaches her hand to console,
another child whose parent will never come home.

Roy, was 18 breathing toxic tank emissions and taking ammunitions,
saw 65% of his troops die within minutes.
His lungs are torn from years of fumes,
yet in his voice his has no scorn,
he would never complain of his pain or no care,
most of his unit were laid to rest, KIA. Aged 18- 23
"they say they will fit him in" until the orange is all his is.
Yet he finds it in his warrior heart, his last days
to visit his ailing friend a Veteran- my dying father,
and they had just met.

They tell us we'll do better with these men and women this time,
that is the ones who make it home.
try our new therapeutic tone
A new pill that will surely make you forget hell or not tell.
promises to reopen some closed homes, find the homeless Vets beds.
But the money for this care, is simply not there.
it's used to buy new war toys,
In blood soaked, screams the war coffers grow,
in secrets only few know.

They tell her to stop all the ruckus,
she finds she has no choice but to raise her voice to a holler.
Still they try to beat her down with blank stares, compassionless glares.
As she falls to her knees, crumbles, and cries,
and still all she is given is lie after lie..
Lady Liberty has donned a megaphone
so she yells,
"It is our duty to care for those who have sacrificed so much!"
They fought for your country,
and were given nothing but the run around.
Such sacrifices of freedom many bear.
As another young soldier is told,
"your PTSD psychoanalysis appointments are
coming soon,
In the meantime with life, a shadow of a ruin,
forget you hold that gun in your hand."
His mother finds him, a 22 year old Iraq war combat veteran,
is laid to rest.
as Lady Liberty shed tears that flood the land.

The dawns morning light shines on Lady Liberty
as she hang her head in shame.
These men deserve care far above the rest,
yet we fail to give them our best.

She heard him call out to his only friends, his brothers,
the fallen soldiers,
whose names are to many a word on The Wall,
to others they have never gone at all.
Arriving on time to guide their brother on this last battle road.

They tell him 'The flight jackets are ready",
they assure him, it won't be long
and that you are never alone,
the day is fine with blue skies and clear flying
for this soldier who never forgot his friends,
fallen soldiers and vets
.... as the fallen soldiers- angels come to take him home.

Colors of red, white and blue,
holding the founding father's beliefs true.
living lives of the star spangled banner
not in lands, or laws, names, or matter
They 'are' the home of the brave
Which the system will not save.

See how they never fail,
as they wipe your daughter's tears,
as if they'd known her for years.
No red-tape or grave can steal,
the memories of men so real.
I bow my head and feel
humbled their stories, sacrifices, and valor.

Let's never forget Stanley, who had been in the Navy since age 17
No pain could keep him from living his ideal,
always fighting for the rights of all who served by his side,
pushing wheelchairs and helping young troops to hit their stride
I thought he was staff or a volunteer
When he really had stage 5.
A bond that is stronger than blood, deep and real
No man, laws, or time could steal.
He died, with no care, canceled appointments.
A hero, who deserves our best, is laid to rest.

She vows at that moment to do her part to change the tide,
not knowing where to start,
this is a Vietnam Veteran daughter's rhyme.

Lady Liberty holds her head high,
as the flag of the American Revolution hangs silent in night sky,
watching over the graveyards of all the brave men who have died.
The call of justice is nigh,
as a soldier's daughter hangs her head to cry,
she comforts a soldier's daughter passing by.
A bellowing breaks the silence of those dying and underserved.
Lady Liberty smiles as their lost voices will be heard.

Soldiers are dying and those who make it back home
are veterans….
Veterans are living on the streets, one of every three you see.
A Veteran attends his church service in nothing but rags.
A brain injured soldier returns not remembering his name.
A veteran comes home, with no hope of ever walking again
A mother comes home with war trauma, unable to put her thoughts in order,
as she trying to care for her bright eyed toddler.
A veteran in need of medical care is being told to wait,dying in an under-funded system.
A veteran finds suicide, to end the pain when there is no mental health care.
A Veteran with trauma is arrested, the judge seals his fate.
And a parent hears the doorbell ring
given her child's dog tags.

On Veteran's Day, on any day- what will your actions show?
Or will it pass again as quickly as a parade.
Kristin Lee © 2007

Ideas to support Veterans: call a veteran you know and say thank you for their service, visit your local veteran's center to help out, attend a Veteran's Day service, call and donate to a Veteran's charity, send holiday card to troops or veterans in hospitals, start a clothing drive in your community, adopt a vet for the holidays, or write to your elected officials to let them know you care about the 'quality of care veterans and the best is what they deserve.'