Honor Flight Chicago’s Poet Laureate
From Mary Pettinato: “Richard Williams, a WWII Veteran who is legally blind and recovering from a heart attack, sent us (Honor Flight Chicago) this poem.”
Now Listen Up
Now listen up. you Guys and Dolls of WWII,
This Honor Flight Chicago program is for REAL!
I mean,they bust their butts to please and honor YOU,
And go to any length to show you how they FEEL.
Now we all know, no way can we forget the past,
Although we did not come back thinking we were great;
But here and now you’re asked to hold those memories fast,
And bask in light the Honor Flight helps stimulate.
The fuse that lights a host of memories is lit,
To play and dance down corridors you thought were bare,
Remembering the characters, the lighter bit,
Without which you’d have lost your mind through sheer despair.
The camaraderie you knew will live once more,
Recalling faces thought forgotten, knowing why,
Releasing poignancies you’ve seldom felt before,
As now you come to realize you can say goodbye.
To be remembered after all these many years,
To be a part of what this program has to give,
Experience the adulation and the cheers
Will blow your mind beyond your best superlative.
Reach out and touch! That’s what they do. It’s off the chart.
So Listen Up! What you find here is pure HEART!