I Run

I RUN Sergeant Charles E.G. Harding, US Army, 15PSB 1st Cavalry Division Note: Sergeant Harding retired from the Army after he returned from Iraq in 2005 and is putting together a book of his collected poetry dealing with "war and love and and life." Like our first poet warrior, PFC Jamie A. Goldstein, whose mom lovingly e-mailed his poem, Sergeant Harding has a loyal fan who submitted this moving verse: his fiancee Samantha from the United Kingdom, who met him face to face for the first time once he left the Army after an eighteen-month long-distance romance. As Samantha says, it's a real love story. We salute Sergeat Harding for his service, courage, dedication and eloquence. We also salute Samantha for supporting poet warriors--she's helping him make his book a reality--and wish Charles and Samantha happiness as well as success with their poetry book! I run for the soldiers, Who can't run, no more Or walk the way they did before I live and breathe, all the memories Of all soldiers passed, who are here, no more Old soldier, old soldier! Tell me again. The people you've known And the places you've been How do I deal? With the loss of my men And what do I tell, their next of kin Honor all soldiers Who have passed away By leading the living When you train and pray Tomorrow is not promised So, seize the day! And let the strain of gain Wash the pain, away I run for the soldiers, who can't run, no more Or walk the way they did before I live and breathe, all the memories Of all soldiers passed, who are here, no more Iraq, June 2004 Copyright Charles E.G. Harding, 2004 DISCLAIMER: All poems are the intellectual property of the poets involved and cannot be reproduced without permission.