Snow Melt

72 Years Ago Today

The second prompt for December 7, 2013 for "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum"  is
2 December 7th, 1941, 72 years ago Pearl Harbor was attacked. What do you know about that time? Did you have family on those ships? Do you believe it could happen again?

December 7, 1941 was a day that will live in infamy. It was the day that took America into World War II. All day I have thought about the events that occurred 5 years and 17 days before I was born. I want to commemorate that day through a poem, but I don't know where to start. I'm not sure what my father did in World War II. I know that he was in the Army Air Corp and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. I know that he and my mother were married at the time because Mom worked at what is now the University Medical Center and I know that Mom took a bus to and from work. I took the bus because she and Dad lived on or near Nellis at the time. I know that the following picture was taken about the time my parents were married, but I am not sure of the exact date.

My parents were divorced when I was young because of my father's alcoholism. Mom never talked much about their life during World War II and I never ask. I regret that now, but there isn't a lot I can do about it because most, if not all, of the people who knew them then are dead or out of my life. This brings me to the point of wanting to write a commemorative poem, but not knowing where to start.

How do I begin a poem about Pearl Harbor? I think I need to do a little more research, which is the way I usually begin writing poems about historic events.

Thought of the Day: "Everybody knows about Pearl Harbor. The thing that really fascinated me is that through this tragedy there was this amazing American heroism." - Michael Bay