By Douglas J. Lanzo
Copyright 2024

First published in Faith on Every Corner (July 2024 Issue)

“Uncommon valor was a common virtue.”  Admiral Chester Nimitz of our marines who fought on Iwo Jima

Standing before the flag
raised atop Mount Suribachi
a marine did ask me
whether I had any questions:

I nodded, and heard sounds, saw scenes,
of men and carnage, primal screams,
of death and valor, heroes downed,
marines cut down, by pill box rounds,
grenades, flamethrowers, tossed in caves
exploding lives, becoming graves,
men fighting to their dying breaths,
rare courage witnessed, in their deaths.

Amidst the chaos, silhouettes,
of sacrifice, without regrets,
a platoon scrambled up the face
with flag in tow, as if in race,
and planted it, in sacred ground,
to cheers of men, and ships around.

That was the first flag raised that day,
amidst the hell, with lives that paid,
for each foot fought, for liberty,
freeing the world, from tyranny.

Commanders thought, the flag too small,
and ordered men,  to stand one tall,
to wave and flourish in the air,
amidst the sounds, of guns and flare.

Six men did answer to that call,
mounting the summit, giving all,
for those that gazed, with hope that day,
that fate would guide them through the fray:
three of them never saw the light
that followed the end of the fight,
fallen heroes of our country,
who died so that we could be free.

“Do you have any more questions?”
the marine standing there did ask.
Shaking my head, saluting him,
I stood and gazed upon the mast.