WAR
As war is fought it takes charge,
And events spin out of control.
The madness of men can alter the soil
Which nourishes the roots of their soul.
And events spin out of control.
The madness of men can alter the soil
Which nourishes the roots of their soul.
Many things will forever change,
Far more then wished to be.
As the wrath of war starts to destroy,
Those things we fight to keep free.
Far more then wished to be.
As the wrath of war starts to destroy,
Those things we fight to keep free.
War is the greatest plague of man,
Religion, state, and sanity.
Any scourge is more preferred,
Than the one which disables humanity.
Religion, state, and sanity.
Any scourge is more preferred,
Than the one which disables humanity.
When war breaks out, boundaries change
And all who die are a token,
Of the rage that must run it’s course,
Before words of peace are spoken.
And all who die are a token,
Of the rage that must run it’s course,
Before words of peace are spoken.
PEARL HARBOR
Sunday, December the seventh,
In the year of 1941,
While most of Hawaii still slept,
Came the planes of the Rising Sun.
In the year of 1941,
While most of Hawaii still slept,
Came the planes of the Rising Sun.
Waves of bombers and fighters flew,
From the decks of the Japanese ships.
While our planes were still on the ground,
"Banzai" was spoken from their lips.
From the decks of the Japanese ships.
While our planes were still on the ground,
"Banzai" was spoken from their lips.
The winds of war had been blowing
Across the oceans of our earth,
Though not till Pearl had been bombed,
Did we realize what freedom’s worth.
Across the oceans of our earth,
Though not till Pearl had been bombed,
Did we realize what freedom’s worth.
Wars are fought and won on two fronts,
At home and on the battle line.
Both are equally important,
When war consumes our heart and mind.
At home and on the battle line.
Both are equally important,
When war consumes our heart and mind.
The attack brought us World War II,
With death, pain and separation.
All who had served were well aware
Of their sacrifice for nation.
With death, pain and separation.
All who had served were well aware
Of their sacrifice for nation.
GENERAL QUARTERS
General quarters, general quarters,
All hands man your battle station!
Sunday morning, December the 7th,
As war confronted our nation.
All hands man your battle station!
Sunday morning, December the 7th,
As war confronted our nation.
We soon found out it wasn’t a drill
But instead it was war for real.
As you watch the death of friends and shipmates,
It’s more anger than fear you feel.
But instead it was war for real.
As you watch the death of friends and shipmates,
It’s more anger than fear you feel.
Japanese warplanes came flying in low,
As I took aim with my gun sight.
From the deck of a ship anchored at Pearl
Damaged, though crew still eager to fight.
As I took aim with my gun sight.
From the deck of a ship anchored at Pearl
Damaged, though crew still eager to fight.
I saw the face of a pilot, who crashed,
Surrounded by black smoke and fire.
Some of my bullets must have found their mark.
For his death was but my desire!
Surrounded by black smoke and fire.
Some of my bullets must have found their mark.
For his death was but my desire!
Two thousand, three hundred and twenty-three killed,
In a battle less than two hours.
With the heart of our Pacific fleet gone,
Japan had flexed their naval powers.
In a battle less than two hours.
With the heart of our Pacific fleet gone,
Japan had flexed their naval powers.
The bombing and strafing of ships and troops
Caused our congress to declare full war.
Where many a man laid down his life
Fighting for flag, country and more.
Caused our congress to declare full war.
Where many a man laid down his life
Fighting for flag, country and more.
D-DAY
D-Day raised the curtain on the conflict
That fore shadowed the end of Hitler’s dream.
The largest joint combat landing ever,
Though the blood from both sides flowed like a stream.
That fore shadowed the end of Hitler’s dream.
The largest joint combat landing ever,
Though the blood from both sides flowed like a stream.
When their boats hit the sand, their ramps went down,
And all within paid a visit to hell.
They jumped out to do good for their country,
And to kill the enemy without fail.
And all within paid a visit to hell.
They jumped out to do good for their country,
And to kill the enemy without fail.
They fought the Germans, tides, winds and the waves,
In conditions not easily foreseen.
By night the battle was in our favor,
With bravery, valor, death, and men who scream.
In conditions not easily foreseen.
By night the battle was in our favor,
With bravery, valor, death, and men who scream.
The corpses littered the beach for five miles,
Though heroism had carried the day,
With literally thousands dead or wounded,
Those who were left were determined to stay.
Though heroism had carried the day,
With literally thousands dead or wounded,
Those who were left were determined to stay.
They faced great odds and chose not to protest,
And won the war that put evil to shame.
Most came home, married and raised their babies,
But those who could not we recall with pain.
And won the war that put evil to shame.
Most came home, married and raised their babies,
But those who could not we recall with pain.
MI DWAY
It was June the 4th 1942,
As I was floating in the ocean alone;
The ship I had sailed on, sank to the bottom
And I thought I would never again, see home.
As I was floating in the ocean alone;
The ship I had sailed on, sank to the bottom
And I thought I would never again, see home.
The Japanese fleet had steamed in from the east
With the intentions of capturing Midway.
Though they were stopped by American war ships,
Whose guns, bombs and torpedoes planes saved the day.
With the intentions of capturing Midway.
Though they were stopped by American war ships,
Whose guns, bombs and torpedoes planes saved the day.
All night long, I watched the fireworks of war
And on the second day we turned up the heat.
As big bombers from Hawaii dropped their loads,
On Japanese ships who soon chose to retreat.
And on the second day we turned up the heat.
As big bombers from Hawaii dropped their loads,
On Japanese ships who soon chose to retreat.
An imperial pilot came floating close by,
Who had been chewed on by the beasts of the sea.
I couldn’t help but feel passion for this is man
Who had answered his call just like me.
Who had been chewed on by the beasts of the sea.
I couldn’t help but feel passion for this is man
Who had answered his call just like me.
When it was over, I was plucked from the deep,
By men in a lifeboat just after the dawn.
For two days I had watched the battle for, Midway;
Now it’s quiet and the enemy has gone.
By men in a lifeboat just after the dawn.
For two days I had watched the battle for, Midway;
Now it’s quiet and the enemy has gone.
SURVIVAL
I drifted all night and was loosing my hope
Before by the moon’s light I saw dry land.
I floated over and through its reefs to the beach,
Where I quickly smoothed out my tracks in the sand.
Before by the moon’s light I saw dry land.
I floated over and through its reefs to the beach,
Where I quickly smoothed out my tracks in the sand.
All I had was my dagger and a canteen
And it was May 4th of 43.
Just me alone on an enemy island,
Wasn’t a safe place for a sailor to be.
And it was May 4th of 43.
Just me alone on an enemy island,
Wasn’t a safe place for a sailor to be.
I felt I could kill in less than a heartbeat
If that’s what it took for me to survive.
I’d already said thanks so many times,
For” God” was the reason I was alive.
If that’s what it took for me to survive.
I’d already said thanks so many times,
For” God” was the reason I was alive.
Off in the dark, I herd two men’s voices,
Laughing and talking in a language not mine.
Inch by inch I crept to their campsite,
Where on what they were eating, I would soon dine.
Laughing and talking in a language not mine.
Inch by inch I crept to their campsite,
Where on what they were eating, I would soon dine.
I stabbed them both and took their fish, rice and wine;
Then ran my way back to the raft by the beach.
Soon I was floating in the ocean again
And far enough out where bullets couldn’t reach.
Then ran my way back to the raft by the beach.
Soon I was floating in the ocean again
And far enough out where bullets couldn’t reach.
The next day I was picked up by a seaplane,
Whose crew spotted my sail from the air.
Once inside and safe, I cried like a child,
For the dead whom would forever be there.
Whose crew spotted my sail from the air.
Once inside and safe, I cried like a child,
For the dead whom would forever be there.
It was hard to believe heaven let me live;
A farm boy from Kansas, in high school last year.
My girlfriend is blond and she hates it I ’m gone.
Though I’m a veteran of battle, death, and fear.
A farm boy from Kansas, in high school last year.
My girlfriend is blond and she hates it I ’m gone.
Though I’m a veteran of battle, death, and fear.
OKINAWA
Okinawa was to be our last stop
Before we invaded Japan.
The largest landing of the Pacific war,
As our soldiers ran across the sand.
Before we invaded Japan.
The largest landing of the Pacific war,
As our soldiers ran across the sand.
At first our marines were scarcely opposed
But on the fifth day hell they found.
A solid wall of human resistance
Firing their weapons from caves in the ground.
But on the fifth day hell they found.
A solid wall of human resistance
Firing their weapons from caves in the ground.
Air power and big guns had little affect
On their cliff forts carved deep in the limestone.
It took man against man to root them out
As flying bullets pierced flesh and bone.
On their cliff forts carved deep in the limestone.
It took man against man to root them out
As flying bullets pierced flesh and bone.
Kamikaze pilots crashed their planes
Knocking out transports and war ships.
As the Imperial air force struck our fleet,
Cries of fear and hate spewed from lips.
Knocking out transports and war ships.
As the Imperial air force struck our fleet,
Cries of fear and hate spewed from lips.
One hundred, ten thousand Japanese
By the end of the battle were killed.
Over twelve thousand Americans died,
Before, just our flag flew over the field.
By the end of the battle were killed.
Over twelve thousand Americans died,
Before, just our flag flew over the field.
VETERAN’S DAY
The cost of freedom is sometimes high,
Extremely more when our loved one’s die.
Extremely more when our loved one’s die.
Men and women pledged to fight and serve,
And it’s our support that they deserve.
And it’s our support that they deserve.
Mankind itself is the one to blame,
That all through history, the story’s the same.
That all through history, the story’s the same.
Peace, like love, can be hard to acquire,
Subject always to enemy fire.
Subject always to enemy fire.
Some how the righteous tend to prevail,
Over the miss-guided, prone to fail.
Over the miss-guided, prone to fail.
No wonder we fear the tongues that lie,
As mankind squabbles beneath God’s sky.
As mankind squabbles beneath God’s sky.
The danger our solders face is real,
So lets let them know just how we feel.
So lets let them know just how we feel.
Put forth your flag and show them your heart,
As those we love from us depart.
As those we love from us depart.
P.O.W.
When you become a P.O.W.
You find you’ve lost your liberty and more,
The guy with the gun tells you what to do,
As you yearn for freedoms you had before.
You find you’ve lost your liberty and more,
The guy with the gun tells you what to do,
As you yearn for freedoms you had before.
Your will to serve helps keep you alive,
Though sometimes you wish you were dead.
Tortures far beyond any normal mind,
And there’s no safety, even your bed.
Though sometimes you wish you were dead.
Tortures far beyond any normal mind,
And there’s no safety, even your bed.
Bullets, barbwire, searchlights and sharp teeth,
Keep you in a place you don’t wish to be.
The food is quite awful and sometimes it moves,
And you’ve no choice of what you hear or see.
Keep you in a place you don’t wish to be.
The food is quite awful and sometimes it moves,
And you’ve no choice of what you hear or see.
The lucky are released and return home,
Though in their dreams their fate is unsure.
War may be hell, but confinement is worse,
Cause afterwards you’re never as you were.
Though in their dreams their fate is unsure.
War may be hell, but confinement is worse,
Cause afterwards you’re never as you were.
THE LONELINESS OF WAR
I know I’m still here so far, far away,
As I fight for what I believe is right.
I wonder about you and your mom,
Every moment of every day and night.
As I fight for what I believe is right.
I wonder about you and your mom,
Every moment of every day and night.
The loneliness of war can drive you insane,
If you don’t get letters of concern from home.
Left, right, behind and ahead,
Death awaits leaving love ones alone.
If you don’t get letters of concern from home.
Left, right, behind and ahead,
Death awaits leaving love ones alone.
We pray to God that we will be saved
To return home or live the here after.
Bloody, dirt-covered men, we see everyday,
As we yearn for those times of laughter.
To return home or live the here after.
Bloody, dirt-covered men, we see everyday,
As we yearn for those times of laughter.
The far off stare of a fallen comrade,
As you stay by his side till his end.
No mother ever carried her infant child,
More carefully, than we do a friend.
As you stay by his side till his end.
No mother ever carried her infant child,
More carefully, than we do a friend.
Many have their own personal diaries,
To help keep their faculties together.
Watching hot steel crash into human flesh,
Always make home seem far away and better.
To help keep their faculties together.
Watching hot steel crash into human flesh,
Always make home seem far away and better.
I’ve become an expert at dodging, weaving and diving,
So try not to worry too much about me.
Just help your mom and stand up from the ground,
And while I’m gone be all you can be.
So try not to worry too much about me.
Just help your mom and stand up from the ground,
And while I’m gone be all you can be.
Love Dad
All Poems By
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web