Poets logo

The War Before My Father’s War

For poppy’s prompts #7

By Shaun WaltersPublished 3 days ago 1 min read
By Jared Short on unsplash

At 75 miles an hour

It’s just another sign on the highway

The 38th Parallel

Stirring the barest hint of a memory

A tiny picture of a serpentine river

Less than a page in my history book

No words in bold about bold actions

Young men dying

For the fall of communism

Young men dying

For the triumph of communism

Later, recycled phrases

Below the newspaper fold

About an invisible line

Striking a patriotic chord

As loud as they can

To cover a melody of pain

Sung by fewer and fewer every year

Drowned out by the newest compositions

For some,

That line defined them

For me,

It’s the war before my father’s war

And another sign on the highway

—————————————

Materials to watch if you grew up as ignorant of the Korean War as me:

social commentarysad poetryFree Verse

About the Creator

Shaun Walters

A happy guy that tends to write a little cynically. Just my way of dealing with the world outside my joyous little bubble.

Enjoyed the story?
Support the Creator.

Subscribe for free to receive all their stories in your feed. You could also pledge your support or give them a one-off tip, letting them know you appreciate their work.

Subscribe For FreePledge Your Support

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments (2)

  • Angie the Archivist 📚🪶a day ago

    Excellent piece using Poppy’s Prompts.

  • D.K. Shepard3 days ago

    This is a powerful piece! Incredible work, Shaun! My father was in Vietnam so this resonated

Shaun WaltersWritten by Shaun Walters

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.