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NOVEMBER’S
WARRIOR
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By Commander Ed Bookhardt, US Navy,
Retired
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The sun’s nurturing
warmth and the rising saps of spring
bring forth the
effervescent bloom of youth in shades of brilliant greens and jade.
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With his hat
at a jaunty tilt and a swagger in his gait,
he eagerly steps
forth to sample the wonders of life’s seasons
and to face unafraid
the challenge of his Nation’s call
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The emerald
hues of his maturity reflect the commitment to “Flag and Country.”
Freedom though
challenged, flourishes throughout the joyous and seemingly
endless summer
of his vigilant unrelenting guardianship of all he holds dear
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Basking in
the glory of the season, the gentle breezes caress his face…
the wanderlust
days in the sunshine swiftly pass.
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Riding life’s
wondrous crest he never looks back,
for at the moment
of his prime,
time is of little
importance for he is master of his charge
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Suddenly
September’s song
brings the unexpected realization of the fleeting cycle of life.
Bewildered he cries
out, for he is not yet ready to surrender the watch,
nor the glory
that is his…
yet, the incessant
passage of seasons continue unabated
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The chill of
October morns
turns the once
flourishing foliage of his youth to colors of yellows and orange…
golden moments
to reflect on what once was.
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Though his
spirit soars as in April past,
and his tiring
heart still pounds to the patriotic rhythms that had always driven him,
he senses the seeping
cold
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Deep within
his soul the aging warrior is overcome with poignant reluctance.
Like willow bows...
he hangs his weary head realizing
he will never again
march forth under the starry banners of the gallant cause.
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As the fragile
leaves of his existence,
brown, wither and
fade; their brittle substance crumble
and are whisked
away in the harsh winds of November.
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Silently,
December’s snowy blanket covers the once vibrant remnants
and all is lost
in the cold gray mist of winter,
and yet, his memory
blooms eternal…
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