Robert's latest
book: Poems By A Marine
by Cpl. Robert L. Cook
Jan. 1942-Sept. 1945
He settled into his favorite chair
Next to the fire and Xmas tree,
Watching the children playing there
As happy as they could be.
He dozed and napped
And slipped away
To another Xmas day
When he was a lad,
And times were bad.
It was a sad sung song,
He remembered his first sled
All shiny and red
And the skates that went along.
His stocking was filled
With little things
That were good for play and school.
Brother Bob got a ball,
Though he was quite small,
And a bat of genuine wood.
There was no tree
For, you see,
Times were not very good.
The dinner that came
Was really quite plain,
No turkey was there
On their plates
But mother and father
Gave thanks to the Lord
For providing whatever they ate.
Though the days that passed
Were many
And his beard was like the snow,
He had fought to save his country,
His wounds he would not show.
There was pride in his memory
Of the battles he had fought
And of the men that
Stood beside him
Through the shot and shell.
Most had gone to heaven,
Some had gone to hell.
He knew his days was numbered
But he was not concerned,
He had earned his place in heaven,
He was waiting for his turn.
* * *
About the author: Robert Cook served with Reg. Weapons Co.(2d-2d) from 1942-44, at Guadalcanal and Tarawa, during a 33-month overseas tour.
Simple Times
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