Across the sea, a jungle green, A young man fought, a sight unseen. My father, there, in Vietnam’s hold, A story etched, a heart of gold.
The weight of war, a heavy pack, He carried burdens on his back. The sounds of fire, the cries of pain, Aching memories, etched like rain.
But courage bloomed where shadows fell, He faced his fears and fought them well. For comrades’ sake, for duty’s call, He stood his ground, he gave his all.
And when he came back home at last, The war’s grim toll, a shadowed past. Unspoken battles, burdens deep, Yet in his eyes, a love to keep.
He built a life, a world anew, The strength he bore, shone clear and true. My father, soldier, quiet, strong, In him, I see where I belong.
This ode to him, a whispered pride, For all he faced, for all he tried. A son’s respect, a heart’s embrace, For the hero’s journey, etched on his face.
The walls are leaning inward, though the level says they’re straight, And the air feels thick and heavy, like a physical, dull weight. It’s a static in the marrow, it’s a ringing in the ears, A list of “what-ifs” blooming into catastrophic fears. The door feels like a mountain, and the phone a jagged stone, The mind builds up a prison that it’s crafted all alone.
But the kettle starts its humming, and the clock begins to chime, The world doesn’t pause its spinning just to give me extra time. So I breathe a shallow rhythm, count the floorboards near my feet, And find the tiny pocket where the fear and duty meet. It isn’t that the shaking stops or shadows go away, It’s the shaking hands that reach out to begin the work of day.
I carry it like luggage—bulky, frayed, and overfilled, Across the bridge of “must-do,” where the panic isn’t stilled. I take a single, trembling step, then find the strength for two, Doing all the things I need, while the fear is coming through. For courage isn’t silence where the anxious thoughts are gone, It’s the shivering soul that tells itself: regardless, carry on.
We stand together, a multitude wide, Our inherent worth cannot be denied. We are the many, strong and profound, On worthy, undeniable ground.
A powerful force, a presence complete, In every life’s aspect, we cannot retreat. We are the bedrock, the muse, and the light, The mothers who nurture, the wives who unite. Companions and partners, the friends tried and true, The unwavering support, seeing the world through.
Yet a flaw in our unity, a shadow we find, The support we give others, we leave behind. Hesitant to challenge, to push past the ease, To reach true potential that surely would please. And most painful of all, a failure to claim, The hard-won successes, and speak a sister’s name.
This must cease now, the passive days gone, We must seek out the moments, from dusk until dawn. To offer our praise, let our voices ring true, Each milestone a triumph, for me and for you. To consciously lift, giving momentum and grace, For every woman to find her true place. To challenge with love, with expectation’s firm hand, Demanding of excellence, across all the land. No criticism this is, but mutual rise, Reflected in sisterhood’s true, loving eyes.
Through this vow to support, and challenge we make, The success we can grasp, for goodness’ sake. Empowering each other, we’ll shift and transform, The women the world needs, weathering every storm. We’ll embody the purpose, we were meant to be, The women who changed the world, for all eyes to see.
To achieve this high goal, the toxins must fall, Excise the dark poisons that hold us in thrall. Shed the debilitating jealousy’s sting, That blinds us to triumphs the good moments bring.
Discard the destructive competition and strife, Focus energy outward, on a better world’s life. Not inward, against us, our battles are clear, Fighting for progress, not fueled by dark fear.
Cast off the petty, the soul-crushing hate, It consumes the bright light that seals our fate. The path forward is dimmed by this darkness within, We must clear out the shadows, and let light begin.
Let a new sacred covenant be firmly held fast, A mandate of love that is meant to last. Unconditional loving, and support burning bright, A sisterhood rising, with all of its might. Unbreakable, unstoppable, changing the world’s face, United in purpose, and filled with true grace.
