Background

Sept 11 2001

After watching the live footage courtesy of **CNN**, my whole life took a spiraling plunge into despair, depression, anger, paranoia and fear.

I spent many nights awake, crying and waiting to see what was coming next.

I had always been a writer and found solace and comfort in putting pen to paper. I spent six hours along a beachfront putting my thoughts on paper. As I started reviewing what I had written down, I noticed a distinct pattern. They all focussed on pain, anger, terror and how much I loved the Military. It was from that moment, that 'Written in Blood' was born.

4 years of writing, editing, travelling to Washington DC, visiting memorials, talking to Veterans and currently serving Military personnell turned into the passion of my life.

Being a cathartic release for me, I continued onward and am currently working on the follow up book 'Through the Eyes of A Veteran'.  I'm hoping to s have a working copy by year's end and start editing soon thereafter. In that time, I'm hoping to find a willing publisher to get this out in hopes of helping others out there.

Loss hits everyone, especially for Military families. This is my way of giving back.

Written in Blood..excerpt from `Written in Blood`

Written in Blood


Standing at the gates of death
Awaiting my turn for judgment
The book filled with thousands of pages
A few names engraved crimson red
                                              
I asked around and wondered why
Some names had no coloring
The gatekeeper pondered on how to answer
What you do is how you are engraved

Still in uniform with the lethal wound
Looking down on my friends and family
I snuck a peek and saw my name
Etched in red so everyone could read
Tears well up within my eyes
As the explanation began
You see you were killed in action
Your name is Written in Blood

You have a special place within the gates
A brotherhood of perfect strangers
Brought together in life and death
Welcome Home Solider you are loved

Traumatized..excerpt from `Through the Eyes of a Veteran`

Traumatized

Returning home to things forgotten

No roll call to adhere to

Familiar things seem surreal

Acclimating tougher than imagined

Endless nights of nightmares

Drowning the sounds in a bottle

Medication merely dulls the pain

Love from the family unrecognizable

Countless medical appointments

No real help to be found

Comprehension and compassion empty words

Traumatized uncertain of reality

Violent fits of rage and anger

Like a roaring waterfall in the mind

Flowing into a loud silence

Peace of mind never to come

 

Doctors have conditions for it all

Only the soul knows the truth

No magical cure to fix the disease

The soul traumatized to the end

sept 20 2009 ©

NO MORE TERROR HERE

No more terror here

Scary stories being told at midnight

Waves crashing into the sandy beaches

Marshmallows roasting over the smoldering flames

Oblivious to impending doom

Lives changed in an instant

Shattered dreams scattered through twisted metal

A vicious attack on a way of life

Tears flowing from lady liberty

Call to arms to protect our land

Seeking an elusive enemy

Vulnerabilities exposed

Our freedom never taken for granted again

When all the dust has settled

The guns cease their firing

Stronger in our patriotism we become

With more awareness and compassion

Eyes awakened to a new world

No longer sheltered from reality

We will recover we will survive

Staring at our fellow man

 

Screaming we are Americans

We are proud of who we are

We shall fight till our last breath

No more terror here