logo

Honor

image
Created: 14 November, 2012
Updated: 17 October, 2022
2 min read
Credit: US Army

Honor

By now, as a visitor to the Artist's Corner, you have had a chance to read “Distant Bells,” a poem which secured for me the designation of Poet Laureate for the Kerry Presidential Campaign in 2003. When first posted on this site, “Distant Bells” did not have the second page attached. That has been remedied and if, by chance you have not read the entire poem, you should do so now. Before discussing the second poem, “Honor,” I believe a brief visit to the subject of how a poem should be read is in order.

I regard poetry as a “spoken” art, and as such, always prefer that the poem be read aloud, even if I am reading it to myself. My second preference is that it be read not once, but twice. The first reading is like a scouting party, where you look for the major points of the poem. By the time you finish the second reading, you have really found a new friend and have developed your understanding of the nuances intended by the author.

For that reason “Distant Bells” is only one of two poems I've written that exceed one page in length (see, I did make it tie in). It was, and is in my judgment a very powerful poem, made even more so by the fact that it rhymes in a somewhat classic tradition.

Those who think of it as an anti-war poem are correct. Those who see it as an anti-military poem are wrong. I respect the military greatly, and, in fact have devoted half my anthology to poetry “on the theme of war”. That fact is amply demonstrated in a second poem submitted to you, “Honor.”

As you can see, I have developed a method of bringing my poems to life by the inclusion of photography on the poem itself. Also included  ordinarily is a gold seal stamped with either a stamp used in the campaign (for political poetry), or later identifying me as a recipient of the Robert A. MacNamara Award for Literature and the Arts, and as a poet.

The poem “Honor” is adorned by a photograph of the Medal of Honor of the United States, its proper title. It represents an overwriting goal of my poetry, brevity. It seeks to thoroughly address the subject of honor in as few words as possible. Although I use the medal on the poem, the concept of military honor is not so limited. In fact, the subject is included on a much broader basis, i.e. the honor of a working mother, the afflicted, the victorious. Each of those persons must answer the clarion call of honor in its varied form.

With that prologue, I submit to you the poem “Honor” and promise to bring photography to the Corner in my next submission. If you are so inclined, give me your thoughts on how the two poems can be reconciled.

Honor

Comes the callof the highest standard,piercingthe night air,bearinga duty,hardenedby necessity,sharpenedby destiny.

IVP Existence Banner

Answering the call,without pause,without equivocation,comes Honor.

 

Latest articles

votes
Wyoming Purges Nearly 30% of Its Voters from Registration Rolls
It is not uncommon for a state to clean out its voter rolls every couple of years -- especially to r...
27 March, 2024
-
1 min read
ballot box
The Next Big Win in Better Election Reform Could Come Where Voters Least Expect
Idaho isn't a state that gets much attention when people talk about politics in the US. However, this could change in 2024 if Idahoans for Open Primaries and their allies are successful with their proposed initiative....
21 March, 2024
-
3 min read
Courts
Why Do We Accept Partisanship in Judicial Elections?
The AP headline reads, "Ohio primary: Open seat on state supreme court could flip partisan control." This immediately should raise a red flag for voters, and not because of who may benefit but over a question too often ignored....
19 March, 2024
-
9 min read
Nick Troiano
Virtual Discussion: The Primary Solution with Unite America's Nick Troiano
In the latest virtual discussion from Open Primaries, the group's president, John Opdycke, sat down ...
19 March, 2024
-
1 min read
Sinema
Sinema's Exit Could Be Bad News for Democrats -- Here's Why
To many, the 2024 presidential primary has been like the movie Titanic - overly long and ending in a disaster we all saw coming from the start. After months of campaigning and five televised primary debates, Americans are now faced with a rematch between two candidates polling shows a majority of them didn’t want....
19 March, 2024
-
7 min read