Poems By Judee Strott

Dedicated to all POWs, MIAs, and those Unaccounted For and their families and friends, but especially for the families and friends of the following men:

Capt. James Wayne Herrick Jr. USAF 27 Oct. '69 LAOS
Maj. Thomas Waring Bennett Jr. USAF 22 Dec. '72 NVN
Lt. Col. David L. Hrdlicka USAF 18 May '65 LAOS
Sgt. Peter R. Cressman USAF 5 Feb. '73 LAOS

---

"'Till They All Come Home"

'Till they all come home
'Till their fates are known
'Till their spirits are set free
We must keep the faith together
Now it's up to you and me.

There are those among the Missing, and the Unaccounted For,

Captured in that foreign land, still Prisoners of War,

And I hear their voices calling out, crying to be free,

Saying, "Please dear God, send someone who will come to rescue me."

Well, some people say it's over now and we should let it go,

There is nothing more that can be done, say those people "in the know."

But I hear those voices calling out, crying to be free,

Saying, "Please dear God, send someone who will come to search for me."

So many years have come and gone, it happened long ago,

But we must keep on and do what's right, until we really know.

For I hear those voices calling out, crying to be free,

Saying, "Please dear God, send someone who will come to rescue me."

For the families who are waiting still, the years pass slowly by.

They need answers to their question, "Did my loved one live or die?"

For they hear those voices calling out, crying to be free.

Saying, "Please dear God, send someone who will come to search for me."

If our Missing Men could speak to us, what would they really say,

Of those who search and those who wait, and those with "games" to play.

For their voices have been calling out, crying to be free,

"I've been waiting all these years for you to come to rescue me."

'Till they all come home,
'Till their fates are known,
'Till their spirits are set free,
We must keep the faith together,
Now it's up to you and me.

'Till they all come home,
'Till their fates are known,
'Till their spirits are set free,
We must keep the faith together now,
Not forget our sacred vow
That we won't give up until we know,
or 'till they all come home...'till they all come home.

---

Copyright © 1996 by Judee Strott, All Rights Reserved

---

You can E-mail Judee at: [email protected]

A VISIT TO THE WALL

So many are afraid to come,
their hearts are filled with dread
at the thought of seeing,
names of missing and the dead

This wall of granite, hallowed ground,
sends out its healing song,
to family, friends and those who care,
and those who've suffered long

"Come to me, remember,

all those I represent,

those who fought and died for all,

whose lifeblood has been spent,

and those among the missing,

the "unaccounted for"

captured in that foreign land,

still prisoners of war.

Come to me and tell me

of the dreams you have at night,

the memories that haunt you,

that waken you with fright.

Come at night or dawning,

or when the sun's full rays

shine upon my panels

in the middle of the day.

Come to me and touch me,

and tell me of your pain,

the sorrow, rage and bitterness

that still have yet to fade.

Come to me and touch me

and feel the warmth within,

the healing, the release of pain,

that only I can bring.

My arms outstretched are beckoning,

their meaning should be clear --

Do not be afraid to come to honor those named here."

---

Copyright © 1993 by Judee Strott, All Rights Reserved

---

Back

---