ODE TO DESERT STORM

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHEN OTHERS WERE AT REST
AMERICA WAS PREPARING TO ACCEPT A MIGHTY QUEST
SOLDIERS FAR AND NEAR PUT ON THEIR UNIFORMS
AND BECAME A PART OF WHAT WAS KNOWN AS DESERT STORM

THEY FLEW ACROSS AN OCEAN TO DEFEND A FOREIGN LAND
THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES THERE TO EXTEND A HELPING HAND
THEY WERE PLACED IN A COUNTRY WHERE FREEDOM WAS NEVER KNOWN
FAR FROM THEIR LOVED ONES, TO FACE THE TASK ALONE

IN THEIR HEART WAS SORROW, TEARS WERE IN THEIR EYES
THEY HAD COME MANY MILES TO EASE A COUNTRY’S CRIES
THE BATTLE WOULD BE LONG, HOURS SPENT IN SILENT PRAYER
A LOT WOULD ASK THEMSELVES WHAT WERE THEY DOING THERE

THEY HAD BEEN CALLED UPON TO DEFEND A PEOPLE’S RIGHTS
AND THEY WERE ALL READY, FOR AN ENDLESS FIGHT
FOXHOLES WERE DUG EACH HOUR AS DAYS TURNED TO WEEKS
EACH ONE KNOWS HIS JOB AND THE OUTCOME HE SEEKS

PLANES BEGAN THE BATTLE AND BECAME A DESERT SHIELD
STILL THE RAGING ENEMY DID NOT BEND OR YIELD
THERE WERE PEOPLE EVERYWHERE WHO HAD TO PAY THE COST
A RED RIVER RAN DEEP FROM ALL THE LIVES WE LOST

STILL THE BULLETS FLEW AND THE BOMBS DID NOT CEASE
IT LOOKED AS IF THE WORLD WOULD NEVER AGAIN SEE PEACE
SOLDIERS WROTE LONG LETTERS TO THEIR FAMILIES EACH NIGHT
WEEKS TURNED TO MONTHS WITHOUT A TRUCE IN SIGHT

THEN THE FINAL CONFLICT WITHOUT A WARNING BEGAN
IT WOULD CHANGE THE LIFE OF EVERY WOMAN AND MAN
AS SOLDIERS MOVED FORWARD GOD’S PRESENCE WAS FELT
AS THE ENEMY SURRENDERED THE FEARS BEGAN TO MELT

THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS CAME WITH HANDS HELD HIGH
THEY FELL UPON THEIR KNEES WITH A TEAR IN EACH EYE
THE ENEMY WAS DEFEATED AND THE BATTLE WON
BUT IT WAS FAR FROM OVER, THERE WAS MORE TO BE DONE

A NATION’S PRECIOUS FREEDOM HAD TO BE REBUILT
LIKE THE SNAGGED REMAINS OF AN OLD WORN-OUT QUILT
THE THREADS OF FREEDOM’S COLORS ARE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
THEY WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND ALWAYS WILL BE TRUE

THE DESERT STORM WAS SWIFT AND SWEPT A COUNTRY FREE
FROM ALL THOSE WHO HATE, BROUGHT THEM TO THEIR KNEES
NOW THE HOMECOMINGS BEGIN AND LOVED ONES RETURN
BUT FOREVER IN THEIR MINDS THE MEMORIES BURN