One Good Man

One Good Man

They said they needed “a few good men.”

He wanted to answer the call;

He was less than five foot four;

But very few have stood so tall.

At first they would not take him in:

His height did not fit their plan;

When the war came, the standard changed,

And the Corps got one good man.

You can say he wasn’t perfect;

Many faults he had

You can say that I am biased,

Because I called him, “Dad.”

But just ask me about him,

I’ll tell you what I can--

I will not hesitate to say,

“He was one good man.”

In summer he took me fishing,

Hunting in the fall;

He loved God and nature, too;

And he wanted me to know it all.

Anger never raised his voice—

A quiet man with peaceful ways—

Standing tall as one good man

Throughout his earthly days.

If you needed what he had

Or just a helping hand,

He was there to meet that need;

If you fell, he’d help you stand.

He took care of his family ties;

Taught me how to love the land;

Now, I’m trying to walk that road—

My Dad was one good man.

©Stan Sanford

June 14, 1996

Crucifixion

Crucifixion

Must I be here a tortured soul

If I’m to reach the destined goal

That you have set for me?

Must I lie awake in the night

To win the war but lose the fight

For what I am to be?

Must I bear this endless pain—

Endure the fire and the rain

To bring my words to life?

And why can’t I vicariously

Know virtual reality

And circumvent  the strife?

This cup I do not want to drink!

But from my calling can I shrink

And be what I must be?

Why can’t you find another way

To let me see another day—

Let this cup pass from me.

If to give life, I’m bound to die;

If I must crawl before I fly,

Then I’ll pick up this cross.

If must face today the grave

And lose my life my life to save,

I count my life as loss.

©Stan Sanford

January 24, 2002