Visiting at Section 60

I have to wonder, if sixty years from now they’ll still visit 60.
where those fallen for freedom lay sleeping and surrounded.
It’s called the saddest acre in America
with beer bottles, dog tags, hot sauce, and rocks.

Each stone tells a story as it stands shamelessly out of the ground.
A father, mother, friend, cousin.
A co-worker, son, daughter, but more a life.
I have to wonder, as small children leave their toys,
will they still come sixty years from now to sad section 60?

© Clinton Thomas, 2009 and dedicated to those who serve for my freedom.

Star Wars at the Drive In

My earliest memory of a drive-in movie was a history-making event. It was history making not only for me, but also for the world as a whole. We lived in North Little Rock, Arkansas and had a double drive-in movie between Kiehl Avenue and 167 (or 67) North. Unfortunately, today the area is home of the Links Apartments, but way back then it was home to a double drive-in called Twin City Drive In. There was a large Razorback painted on the outside of the screen facing 167. It was there that I enjoyed movie history with the rest of the world at the opening of Star Wars in 1977.



Star Wars had been highly bashed by critics as a bad overall movie, but I was determined to see it and convinced my parents to take my sister and me. We all sat in the car with small beads of sweat rolling down our faces as we listened to a crackling window speaker and watched Luke Skywalker save the galaxy from someone called Darth Vader. As most know, the rest is history and Star Wars: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker became known (and renamed) as Star Wars: A New Hope. But, I'll never forget the first time I learned that critics are not always right and that space adventures did not always revolve around CBS, ABC or NBC's ideas of science fiction.



Note: the above was written for CNN.Com's I-Report.

The Cover of A Book and Ms. Susan Boyle

For years the old saying "Don't judge a book by the cover" has been used for everything from people, to ideas, to animals, and yes even books. The other night the world was reminded not to judge a book by the cover by one Ms. Susan Boyle. Just do a Youtube search and you'll find out who she is quickly. What you really need to do though is look at the people in the crowd first. Everyone from the judges to those sitting in the crowd had a total negative judgement written on their faces. They judged the woman because she was slightly overweight, had a funny talk, joked about her age, and lives with her cat. She wasn't wearing fancy clothing and did not have a look of a professional singer.

Interestingly, when asked why she had never sang before, she flat said, "I've never been given the chance." The crowd continued to look at her with contempt right up to the moment she started to sing. From that first note the crowd started standing to their feet, the judges were in tears, and jaws dropped around the world.

Susan Boyle, you showed the world and good for you. Shame on the rest of us for trying so hard to judge the book by the cover. Ms. Boyle can out sing many so-called "stars" today. She can certainly out sing those lip-singing their way through songs on Saturday Night Live. Ms. Boyle can be proud of two things, first she has a fantastic voice and has shown the world she can sing, given the chance. Second, she is a bright shinning star in God's creation. I can just see God in Heaven sitting back laughing at all of the people for judging His creation before she even sang one note!

Cartoon Vitamins

Below is Cartoon Vitamins. I prepared this poem after my doctor told me I needed some annual exams now that I'm... well, let's just say a little older. My doctor, whom I'm certain is younger than me, also recommended that I take a vitamin daily. I began to remember those various vitamins that I had taken as a child with all sorts of cartoon characters and dinosaurs on them. It actually started a flood of good memories going back to childhood and progressing through the years. This is a first draft that I wrote, made a few changes on and submitted here. I'd appreciate your review, input, and/or comments, but more importantly I am thankful and humbled that you have taken the time to read it in this crazy world we all live in. Thank you.



Cartoon Vitamins


One year, two year, three year
they pass so quickly,
it seemed I was a child,
teenager,
young adult,
man,
all before I knew what happened.

I wanted to be adult
and now I reach for childhood
Elementary, Junior High, High School and
College
a twenty-year reunion
a glance at the past that’s gone.

Nothing changes, everything changes
my hair changing now
my body changing too
vitamins the doctors recommend now with test
Invasive, odd, strange and reserved test for other, older people.

I am those older people now
it has all changed
but I still remember cartoon vitamins
they tasted grape.


© Clint Thomas, 2009