Ed N. White
A Lasting Gift
Little boy with pointed lath,
And trashcan cover shield.
Chase shadows in the alley,
Kill dragons in the field.
Joust with dreams, and watch the old ones
Marching in the past.
See the farthest side of Never.
Listen for the awful blast.
Be patient, little boy,
And practice.
We’re making your war ready now.
Author’s Note: Composed in the summer of 1969 while watching my two young sons at play. Eight years after my United States Marine Corps Reserve discharge. Four years after Bob Dylan’s Bringing it All Back Home album. Thirty-four years before we blundered into Iraq.
Ed N. White is the author of some dozen thrillers and mysteries for adult and middle-grade readers (the latter under the charming moniker, Celia J., Teen Girl Detective). White holds a BA from the University of Iowa and an MA from the University of Rhode Island, where he was a member of the faculty.
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