AFN Sundays on Okinawa

AFN Sundays on Okinawa
by
Henry J. Grubb
(Memorial Day, 2014)

They present the weeks photos
On Armed Forces Network TV
Each with short description bios
A capsulized life and a picture
Name, rank, service, family
Hometown and age (no future)

I count as I stare at the faces
Hoping this will be a brief list
Men, women, young, old, all races
Imagining the pain and the sadness
Thinking those in the States are spared this
They don’t even know of this madness

Yet on this small Pacific island realm
Japan’s fertile Black current bastion
The Asian base of the US Marine
I call out the tally to my wife
As she busies herself for Church communion
In another room, enjoying life

Then I see a young man that I’d known
A student from my classes, full of life
I note his dependents and hometown
I imagine them returning there soon
I don’t tell this fact to my wife
Enjoying life, in that other room.