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Earthbound
from a photo, c.1940s, of my father, a native of Atoka, OK
by Priscilla Turner Spada
Such a stance, feet set with confidence,
arms outstretched along the bird's wingspan;
with Dad's broad smile, he has no cognizance
of what lies ahead for his brave band
of brothers, in a far-off foreign land.
He can't foresee the coming violence.
We don't know what robbed this bird of flight,
or why Dad's on the beach with him in hand,
and dressed in gent's clothes, not his corpsman's whites.
He'd travel from home with Mom in their sedan,
across the country to Oklahoma and
the West Coast, ship out to the Pacific fight.
He died nursing sailors and marines;
left us here caught in our earthbound dreams.
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