Project

PROJECT

BY FLINT CHRISTENSEN

THIS TIRED PIECE OF METAL

IN MY GARAGE IT SAT

WHILE I JUST STARED AND BEAMED

"HEY HUN WHATCHA THINK OF THAT?"

I’M SURE IT WAS A ‘46

THOUGH NO VIN WAS IN SIGHT

AND MUCH TO HER CHAGRIN

I STARTED WORK ON IT THAT NIGHT

IT’S A WONDER TO THIS DAY

THAT IT SURVIVED IT’S TRUE

WITH MORE THERE THAT WAS MISSING

WHERE THE FLOOR BOARDS WENT WHO KNEW?

THE FENDERS HELD THE BODY ON

BUT ONLY JUST SO-SO

AND HOW IT STAYED IN ONE PIECE

I GUESS WE’LL NEVER KNOW

THE BRAND NEW CHEVY BLAZER SEATS

LOOKED ODD IN THIS OLD WRECK

WHEN I STARTED DISASSEMBLE

I KNEW I’S UP TO MY NECK

OH THE HOURS SPENT OUT GRINDING

AND STRAITENING THE FRAME

IT’S ALL I COULD DO FROM GOING MAD

AND DARN NEAR HALF INSANE

IT DIDN’T COST ME MUCH AT ALL

TO PUT THIS THING TOGETHER

I TOOK HALF THE MONEY FROM MY WIFE

THE REST FROM OLDER BROTHER

OH BOY YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD IT

WHEN THE ENGINE CAME TO LIFE!

AND NEARLY TOOK MY ARM OFF

WAS IT WORTH ALL THE STRIFE?

I TRIED TO DO A GOOD RESTORE

BUT THE MORE I SANDED DOWN

THE LESS AND LESS MY JEEP WAS LEFT

TILL ALL I HAD WAS THE GROUND

I HAD A BODY SHIPPED FROM PHILLY

AND THE TRANS FROM ABILEEN

BUT MOST OF ALL THE NUTS AND BOLTS

FROM THE J C WHITTNEY MAGAZINE

IN FACT THE ONLY PART THAT’S LEFT

ORIGINAL AT ALL

IS THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE

WHICH I’LL SWITCH OUT IN THE FALL

IT DRIVES REAL GOOD, I MUST CONFESS

WITH ALL MY WORK AT STAKE

NOW IF I CAN ONLY MAKE IT STOP

I GUESS I’LL NEED A BRAKE

MY YOUNGEST TRIED TO HELP ME

AND IT’S TRUE I SURE DO LOVE HER

IT WAS, I SWEAR, AN ACCIDENT

THE TIME I RAN HER OVER

I’LL NEVER FIGURE OUT

WHY MY SWEETY GOT IRATE

WHEN A BROUGHT ANOTHER BEAUTY HOME

A CLASSIC ‘68

If I Ever Make It Home

IF I EVER MAKE IT HOME

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

Been gone now for 5 years

My wife, my kids and me

Longing for our home

And the way things used to be

I’ve had it pretty good

Having only deployed twice

But the ones our country ought to thank

Are those who sacrifice.

Now I’m not talkin’

‘Bout the boots here on the ground

But the loved ones who will greet me

When I am homeward bound

A lot is asked of loved ones

Who sacrifice each day

They see their men and women

Leave, and some forever stay

“If I ever make it home”

I heard a tired sergeant cuss

“Y’all can keep on fighting

But for me I’ve had enough”

And can’t says as I blame him

Though I’m just a specialist

My strength may often waver

When I think of those I miss

My family and my wife

I miss holding her hand

Now all I’ve got to hold

Is this sun-burnt desert sand

I could probably fight forever

They say I’m pretty tough

But, well, my wife you see

Well she’s just had enough.

ACRONYMS

TASK CONDITION STANDARD

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

TASK, CONDITION STANDARDS

MY SGT YELLED AT ME!

I’M NOT REAL SURE WHICH ONE I AM

OR WHICH ONE I SHOULD BE

YOUR TRAINING’S M.O.S. RELATED

THE DRILL INSTRUCTOR SAID

BUT ALL THESE ACRONYMS

ARE JUMBLED IN MY HEAD

THEY SAY I SCORED REAL HIGH

ON MY A.P.F.T

WHICH AS FAR AS I CAN FIGURE

MEANS I’M “ALL THAT I CAN BE!”

THIS JUMBLED GOBBLDYGOOK

THAT I HEAR SARGEANTS YELL

I’M SURE IT TAKES A SPECIAL CODE

TO CRACK THROUGH THIS INTEL.

SOMETIMES IT IS REAL SIMPLE

LIKE “HEAD TO THE D-FAC”

I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS

BUT I DO KNOW WHERE IT’S AT

SO GRAB YOUR 5-9-8-8 ECHO

(DON’T FORGET THE “E”)

AND HEAD DOWN TO THE MOTOR POOL

TO DO A P.M.S.C.

OR DID I GET THAT BACKWARDS?

IT MEANS TO FIX SOMETHING YOU SEE

I DON’T REMEMBER WHAT IT STANDS FOR

WHEN I WENT TO A.I.T.

BUT IT GETS EVEN WORSE

WHEN I AM TO GET PAID

I CANT TELL WHAT IS COMING OUT

OR HOW MUCH I HAVE MADE

IS B.A.H A GOOD THING?

THEN WHY IS IT SO LOW?

AND WHY ARE MY DEDUCTIONS

MORE THAN INCOME SHOW?

ALL THE LETTERS IN THE ALPHABET

ARE JUMBLED AS CAN BE

THAT’S WHY I’M SO CONFUSED

IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY

PICTURES

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

I SEE MY KIDS THROUGH PICTURES

IT’S BEEN A YEAR OR SO THAT WAY

I WATCH THEM AS THEIR FACES CHANGE

YET NOT A WORD THEY SAY

MY WIFE SAYS THEY ARE GROWING

AND LEARNING ALL THE TIME

BUT THESE TWO DIMENSION

IMAGES ARE BURNED INTO MY MIND

THEY SAY IT’S ONLY FIFTEEN MONTHS

A STANDARD ARMY TOUR

BUT THAT’S HALF THE AGE OF MOST MY KIDS

A SORROW TO ENDURE

WILL THEY RECOGNIZE ME

AND WILL THEY KNOW MY FACE

AND WILL THEY CALL ME DADDY

COMING OFF THE PLANE IN HAST?

A BURDEN FOR THIS SOLDIER

WITH TORN REGRET I STARE

IT’S SO HARD TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN

WHEN YOU’RE SO FAR OVER HERE

FOR FIFTEEN MONTHS I’LL SERVE

AND NEVER GET IT BACK

AND RAISE MY KIDS THROUGH PICTURES

WHILE I AM IN IRAQ

THUNDER

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

THERE’S THUNDER IN THE SKY TONIGHT

WHILE EVERYONES IN BED

BUT I’M THE NIGHTLY WATCHMAN

SO I CAN’T LAY DOWN MY HEAD.

AS BOMBS ARE DROPPED IN BAGHDAD

THE THUNDER I CAN HEAR

IS NOT THE SOUND OF GOD’S SWEET WHISPER

BUT OF MAN’S PRIMEVAL FEAR.

WELL I DON’T LIKE THE SOUND

OF THUNDER ANYMORE,

EVER SINCE MY COUNTRY

SENT ME OFF TO WAR.

I USED TO LOOK WITH EAGER EYES

WHEN ‘ER A STORM WOULD BREW

NOW IT SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE MORTARS

AND FOR ME THAT JUST WON’T DO.

NO, I DON’T LIKE THE SOUND

OF OUR GOD’S PEACEFUL POWER

MIMICKED BY DESTRUCTION

OF SOMEONES FINAL HOUR.

THE DISTANT ROLLING CLIMAX

MET WITH WONDROUS APPLAUSE

SENDS ME STRAIGHT FOR COVER

IN A TREMBLING STATE BECAUSE;

I’VE HEARD IT ONCE TO MANY TIMES

EVERY TIME I HEAR IT ROLL

MY MIND STARTS RACING ONE AGAIN

AND I’M BACK ON FOREIGN SOIL.

LOVE LIKE THAT

BY FLINT CHRISTENSEN

IN A QUIET SOMBER CHURCH

IN WEST JEFFERSON, ID

WHEELED IN AND AT THE FRONT PEW

WAS HOW TRUE LOVE SHOULD BE

MARRIED NOW SOME 60 YEARS

MINUS TWO THE DAY BEFORE

SAT MY GRANDDAD, WITH HIS CHILDREN

GATHERED AROUND FOR TO MOURN.

WITH RASPY STRUGGLED BREATH

THANKED THOSE THAT CAME THAT DAY

TO SEE OFF HIS SWEET AFTON

WHOM GOD HAD TOOK AWAY

A PATRIARCH, A FATHER

TO ME HE WAS GRANDPA

BUT THE HOLLOW WITHERED MAN

ON THE FRONT ROW’S ALL I SAW

STRENGTH OF THIS WEATHERED FARMER

FROM EASTERN IDAHO

WAS STOLEN IN THE NIGHT

FROM HIS LOVE THAT HAD TO GO

WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT?

WHAT DO WE TREASURE IN THIS LIFE?

WAS ANSWERED IN THE MOMENT

THIS HUSBAND LOST HIS WIFE.

SHOULD I BE SO BLESSED?

I WAS THINKING AS I SAT

GIVEN 60 MORE YEARS

TO HAVE A LOVE LIKE THAT

A LOVE THAT’S SO COMPLETE

A LOVE THAT IS SO PURE

IT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME

AND CAN ETERNITY ENDURE.

PROOF

BY SPC FLINT CHRISTENSEN

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE HOVERED WITH HIS DAD

WHILE WORKING ON THE JEEP

AND OTHER CARS THEY HAD

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE DID THE TOUGHEST THINGS

HE WORKED THE HARDEST JOBS

HE WAS QUARTERBACK, FIRST STRING

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE GOT THE CUTEST GIRL

HE TREATED HER REAL SPECIAL

AND MADE HER HIS WHOLE WORLD

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE WAS FIRST TO JOIN THE FIGHT

WHEN HIS COUNTRY LOOKED FOR HEROES

HE’D PACKED HIS BAGS AND LEFT THAT NIGHT

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY WELL

HE FOUGHT AMONG THE BRAVEST

SENDING ENEMIES TO HELL

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

(POSITION OVERPOWERED)

HE KNELT UPON HIS KNEES

PRAYING IN HIS FINAL HOUR

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

HE GAVE HIS LIFE THAT DAY

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

THEY CARRIED HIM AWAY

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

THEY LAID HIM IN A TOMB

AMONG HIS FALLEN BROTHERS

IN ARLINGTON, AMONG THE GLOOM

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

THE MARBLE PLACARD READ

TO PROVE HE WAS A MAN

THIS MAN OF 19 YEARS IS DEAD.