The Prices Paid

a true story told as a free verse poem

She joined the Marines
fresh out of high school
full of love for God and country,
ready to sacrifice life and limb.
After completing infantry training,
they sent her to Japan,
far away from family and friends.
But there she met the love of her life
stationed in Okinawa too.
They completed their tours together
and afterward chose not to re-enlist
because they wanted to start a family.

But their love story was short-lived
for 9/11 happened within two years
and still filled with American pride
they enlisted in the Army to help.
He was sent to the Middle East
and they kept her in Texas,
much closer to home.

Little did they know
he would pay the ultimate price
in a desert far away from home,
everything he knew and loved;
never again to see his lovely wife
or to see his son born and grow.

A child to never know his hero father
and a woman left heartbroken for life.
Such steep prices paid
for our freedom and beliefs
and the interests of our country.

About this poem: ▶︎

This is the story of Alina - a girl from a small town in Texas, her husband Jimmy, and their sacrifices in service to this country.
Line Count: 30
Free Verse