USA Bus Lines

Can you please C/C my Poem: I walked through The Gate to my Fate?

can you please c/c yeah - yeah it's long - it tells a story I think,,.,,,,,, The Gate Fourteen years of age I thought that I was a sage The world before me is my stage I am just a new book – still on the first few page Flying from the Golden State To seek out a new fate By myself I did sit The window I had to insist Half of America I did go Then the plane came in low We were on the ground My luggage I found I saw a man with a sign “The Academies” – I was fine Got on the bus A bunch of kids all making a fuss Like me just one decade and four A few kids maybe a year or so more I shouted out, “Anyone going to be in Band?” A young Black kid gets up and stand I introduced myself; he was somewhat foolish To me he said “Hey, dude, you don’t look Jewish” Never heard that before Explaining is a chore Turns out he is half-Italian and half-Black Like me a mix, half-Yid and half-Pollack We sat side by side and talked Went by fields of Corn high in their stalks Then tension invaded our space As the bus stopped in its place We went outside as a seventeen year old Starred us down cold “When I call your name – answer, ‘Here Sir’.” We did and were divided into mini-troops some all girls, some all boys Our ‘Training Cadre’ guided us to what had to be done It was obvious we were not here for fun I was about to cry When to my long mop of sun-bleached blond hair I said good-bye Every day up at five Learned to drink coffee – three cups - just to feel alive Marching, marching, inspections, testing, exercise… it all became a blur O’vr the next two weeks, a billion times I said, “Yes, Sir” For fifty years the Band was been called ‘The Zoo’ Exactly why – no one has a clue Other Companies would mock us as they went by Our Commander shouted out – “What is our treasure?” We screamed as loud as we could “Zoo Forever!” Began to doubt myself and feel down Get me back to California and out of this two-bit town Then the older Cadets and Girls came for 9 months to stay We all got into our “Dress A” New students were lined up on the closed- off street Brightly shinned shoes upon our feet Brass all agleam I felt like I was in a dream No – actually it seemed to be more like a nightmare What the hell have I done? I felt like I should turn and run For this I was not prepared Then “The Gate” was unlocked – slowly it opened – it squeaked We stood at ‘parade rest’ - spread apart our feet A story was then told About long ago some boys who were very bold A hundred-strong on crew boats they did go When the banks of the river overflowed They marched at 2AM with boats 3 miles to the train In cold, miserable, unceasing downpouring heavy rain Paddled 40 miles downstream to the town Worked in cold rain 36 hours straight It was their fate 1300 souls they did save Because they were so brave The town did so appreciate And built for us this fine brick Gate The tale does not end on glad It takes a turn to be sad The US enters World War One Save the world from the Hun The kids joined the Army but asked to be a team “We want to stay together” that is our dream But in The Battle of Argonne Forest in France Caught in cross fire – they did not have a chance Part of the famous Lost Battalion They wanted to be together They are – for all Eternity - next to each other in Gaulian graves For they were surrounded by Germans on all flanks and mowed down like blades of grass Nothing could be done – they could not be saved Over half of The Hundred died that day The rest who lived built a chapel right here honor their memory For what they did while on Earth they stayed A star in front we salute The ones that survived – we read from their letters In spite of the War and survivors what that had done - the day that they felt the most alive The adventure of a lifetime was to help thirteen hundred survive They felt it a privilege to help a town in dire distress Right here – just kids in the cornfields - is where they were at their best Moisten did my eyes I knew to my boyhood I was about to say my good-byes My mind which was so churning My doubts which were so burning Clarity came to my brain As I thought of this refrain: ‘This is so cool; kids did this from MY school” As my name was called, I held my head up high And through The Gate I walked into my fate

Public Comments

1. I liked it. :)