Peace and Freedom

On our bus tour of the city of Strasbourg, France, we passed the headquarters of the Council of Europe. It was founded on 5 May 1949 by the Treaty of London. After experiencing the atrocities of WW II, Sir Winston Churchill had a vision of the nations of Europe coming together to work for peace.  The purpose of the Council of Europe is to promote Freedom, Democracy, and the Rule of Law. On this Independence Day I am thankful for organizations that promote peace rather than conflict.

Independence Day

Thankful for peace and freedom

Hotdogs on the grill

 

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Which Dwight?

I am of the Baby Boomer generation, born after the end of WWII. The doctor came to our house and delivered me on a Sunday morning. My father, who was a pastor, went on to church and preached his morning sermon, even though his wife was in labor. I waited to come into the world until he got back home. As a result, Sunday dinner was a little late. Being the son of a preacher and his wife, my parents named me, Dwight, after a great preacher of the day, Dwight L. Moody.

When I was born to my parents delight

With great excitement they named me Dwight

Flemish in origin for blond or white

I don’t think that thought ever came to light

There was a much higher reason for my name

Given for someone of religious fame

Great Chicago revival preacher’s name

The renowned Dwight L. Moody

You can imagine my mother’s consternation

When visitors came to see the new addition

Saying, “Oh, you named him after the General!”

Dwight D. Eisenhower  “Of Course!”

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Photo from the Family Album

Amaya at d’Verse asked us to write about the origin of our name. Names hold meaning and significance in our lives and were not just picked at random.

Come join us at:  https://dversepoets.com

Remembering our Heritage

During WWII, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan, fear ran rampant in the country. It was during this time that anyone of Japanese descent was rounded up and put into camps in different parts of the country. When the war ended they are again allowed to return to the general population. My friend Jean’s parents were put in one of these camps. After she was born she was told about the experiences during that time. Jean, who now lives in Canada, is very proud of her heritage. She loves to sew quilts, lap quilts and quilted wall hangings. This is a beautiful wall hanging she made out of respect for her parents and her Japanese heritage.

Heritage displayed

Stories of the past remembered well

Shared with words and thread

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

This is Jean and her husband Dave 

 

Pray for Peace

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony

Today is the day set aside in Japan to remember those who died or were injured in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Two nuclear bombs were dropped three days apart, the first on Hiroshima and the second on Nagasaki, wiping out both cities, killing mostly civilians in the horrific blast. The effects are still felt as people gather for a peace ceremony honoring the dead. The question that comes to my mind is why two bombs? Surely the death of 250,000 people in the first drop should have been enough to bring an end to the war. From the information I read, there were six bombs scheduled for dropping. What were we thinking?

Revenge is not sweet
Blue sky becomes mushroom cloud
Gray chill of death lingers

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Frank Tassone is our guest host at d’verse today. He is asking us to write a Haibun (short prose and a haiku) that reminds us of the chilling horrors brought about by the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan during WWII.

Join us at d/Verse: https://dversepoets.com

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Letters from Iwo Jima

Veterans Day brings many mixed feelings, especially to those who had family members who died in service to their country. Many who served in Viet Nam and the Iraq war never came home again. In World War II, the bloody battle of Iwo Jima will always be remembered. This photo,  taken on that day, has become an icon among veterans. It captured the courage and resolve of those soldiers in the face of death. Johnny Cash sang a song about Ira Hayes, a native American who was part of that flag raising, only to come home and eventually become a homeless alcoholic, with his service long forgotten. Many soldiers suffer from PTS after they return home. Mental health care is a big issue that needs to be addressed in our country. Without adequate help we will see more of what took place last week in Texas. The worst thing that can happen to a veteran is to be forgotten. Remember those who have sacrificed their lives and thank those who keep our country safe and provide the life you and I take for granted.

This video on YouTube has almost two million views

Stamp Art: Dwight L. Roth

This piece was made for my friend Colonel Thomas Hoyt Davis III for his thirty years of service to our county in our Army Special Forces.

 

Remembering the Side Effects of War

Poetry in Song

I have enjoyed the Music of Johnny Cash for many years. He has a way of touching the hearts of the common man. His songs cover a broad spectrum that include this Ballad of Ira Hayes. A Native American, Ira Hayes fought in WWII. He was quite significant at the time, but after coming home he lost touch and became a hard drinking alcoholic. The experiences of war have irrevocable effects on those who witness the atrocities of war. Death and carnage stick in the mind and haunt many who come back from their tours or duty.  In a recent report from the VA, they say twenty veterans commit suicide each day across the country! This is such a sad statistic, and one our country should take very seriously before sending our young men into war.  This Memorial Day is a tribute to all those men who both gave and took their lives.

I hope you enjoy this story in song as you reflect on these statistics.