Carpe Diem And Semper Fi

Carpe Diem And Semper Fi

He sat there in front of the mirror, looking at no one, and everyone,
His face unshaven, gray hair unkempt, by one hand a broken comb.
The other clowns were busy getting ready for the day’s show,
But Oscar just sat there deep in thought, thinking of his foe.

Long ago he had been a Marine, served in Vietnam,
But it all ended after an explosion, from a napalm bomb.
It hit the ground with a thud, shattered like a pumpkin,
Knocked him off his feet, as if hit by a truncheon

Once a Marine, always a Marine, such is Semper Fi,
Oscar still lived this code, he was lucky he hadn’t died.
His wounds caused great depression, until he met Bob Brown,
Someone injured like himself, but now lived the part of a clown

Oscar adopted a new motto, while keeping Semper Fi,
And though he tried so hard, he felt this was all a lie,
Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero
Who’d have thought this old clown, was once a war hero?

Carpe Diem was on his coffee mug, it guided him everyday
But the full phrase reminded him of time, how he couldn’t stay
Pluck the day, trusting as little as possible in the future,
He lived each day as if his last, at least he was still here.

But now he thought once more, about his final foe
Time, he couldn’t defeat it, nor did he know
That today was his last, his time was drawing nigh
He had done his final show, yet never said goodbye

No one saw how he died, but he went peacefully,
His poor body just gave out, he died rather quickly,
And on his tomb were the mottos, he lived while alive,
Carpe Diem (Seize the day), and of course, Semper Fi.

Jim Dorrell
4/17/11