Doc was a medic Running from hole to hole There wasn't a fox Who didn't know his soul
The Germans kept coming With machine guns drumming Sounding off in the darkest night The 101st prayed for the morning light
A little drip of morphine Might soften the pain The mortar rounds kept coming Like the worst kind of hard rain
The wounded were his friends And the shelling wouldn't stop On Doc, they could depend On one knee in prayer, they went deep
These were prayers full of grace While no courage could fully brace The boys to get them through the night Each was trying to hold on to the morning light
A little drip of morphine Might soften the pain The mortar rounds kept coming Like the worst kind of hard rain
The men advanced on the move Through the falling snow Though each hoped it would improve It's no secret, what dead men know
Each of us has numbered days Though we don't know how it will end Each of them had dreams enough to amaze They would kill and die for their friends
A little drip of morphine Might soften the pain The mortar rounds kept coming Like the worst kind of hard rain
The young man died a virgin Though he was as brave as any man If only his company had had a surgeon But the medics do the best that they can
They were called lucky to survive To walk from that battle half-alive Each of them would remember that day When the best they had left was to pray
A little drip of morphine Might soften the pain The mortar rounds kept coming Like the worst kind of hard rain
(c) January 11, 2025 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“There is not a single instance in history in which civil liberty was lost, and religious liberty preserved entire. If therefore we yield up our temporal property, we at the same time deliver the conscience into bondage.” – John Witherspoon, author of The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men, 1776 and signer of The Declaration of Independence
How can you serve the people When you're feeding them lies? How can you mislead a mother And look her straight in the eyes?
You think a dismissive smile Is all you need to wear As you issue your political denial Don't you even care?
So many lives going up in smoke It's enough to make me want to choke Tears are falling from my eyes And all you want to give us is your lies
I'm talking about grieving families Homes burned down along with their memories All of this is because policies lack common sense Don't you walk away because you have no defense
Perceptions of truth are clarified for all to see Who it is that we trusted with too much authority We have the power to do what we ought We can vote you out of office have you forgot?
So many lives going up in smoke It's enough to make me want to choke Tears are falling from my eyes And all you want to give us is your lies
No water in the hydrants, it wouldn't flow Your masquerade of caring is starting to show Your love of power is your social disease It's only matched by your love of ease
Where is your compassion to listen? Is it as missing as your courage to make a decision? The measure of a leader is shown in a controversy Times of challenge require true strength of integrity
So many lives going up in smoke It's enough to make me want to choke Tears are falling from my eyes And all you want to give us is your lies
(c) January 10, 2025 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“A Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.” – John Adams, in a letter to Abigail Adams (July 7, 1775)
“You don’t get to choose how you’re going to die, or when. You can only decide how you’re going to live. Now.” – Joan Baez, American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist (b. January 9, 1941)
Today, I watched a show about death I have to admit, it took away my breath As I try to write this bit of poetry It's weird to think how much it's hitting me
It's hard to write with tears in my my eyes I wonder how often my smile is a disguise It seems that each death gets harder with the passing years I hope that I get through this puddle of tears
Only yesterday, you were standing here It felt certain that you'd always be near Sometimes, it was hard to tell where each of us starts You were the best part of my jaded heart
Looking back on our photographs and memories It's easy to tell how much you meant to me I wish that I had always told you Now I'm lost here, wanting just to hold you
You had always said that I wasn't much for talking Preferring instead the solitude of endlessly walking Alone through the memories of our woods Now I stand here alone where you once stood
Only yesterday, you were standing here It felt certain that you'd always be near Sometimes, it was hard to tell where each of us starts You are the best part of my jaded heart
In this world that is our stage Your words were the only words on my page At least the only words with real meaning In sum, you were my favorite human being
Traces of you will last in the anguish of my eternity Alone without you, knowing how much you meant to me As I stand in our woods staring into the abyss Yours is the love that I will always miss
Only yesterday, you were standing here It felt certain that you'd always be near Sometimes, it was hard to tell where each of us starts You were the best part of my jaded heart
(c) January 8, 2025 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
Heading out of Australia to escape this Aussie winter. First stop Japan, then UK/Ireland and if work doesn't call me back, onto Chicago. I will make it up as I go along
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 