By Odelle Duffy
Black and White
The Most Iconic American Photo!
seen through the lens of his Leica Camera
1945; The end of the war
streets filled with soldiers, finally home
she stood there, oh so pretty in white
a nurse, or maybe a hygienist
in the middle of the road, waiting for him
for him only, her solider
the war over; his sacrifices over, her fears over
they rejoiced in a passionate kiss
Times Square, the perfect backdrop onlooks stared in awe
but it was Just the two of them
Completely and Fully
how could two people love each other so much
Their Love
eternal
praised for decades to come
“The Perfect Couple”
but
"I didn’t see him approaching, before I knew it I was in this tight grip." she said
"That man was very strong. I wasn't kissing him. He was kissing me." she cried
"It wasn't my choice to be kissed." she yelled
strangers
the soldier’s girlfriend, real life girlfriend
stood behind
just out of the shot of the lens
waiting for HER solider
but he was on the nurse
a sinister shade of self-righteousness
HE stood there
and
watched through the lens of his Leica Camera
Didn’t ask if I was okay
Didn’t even ask my name Greta
just snapped his priceless photo
I am now 90, 91, 92
I’m old
I can’t stay, not anymore
but I will always be here
trapped behind the lens of his Leica Camera
Odelle Duffy is currently a Senior at New Mexico State University. She is majoring in Criminal Justice with minors in English, Forensic Science, and Psychology. She plans to graduate this May, continue her education at a Graduate school in Vermont and get a Masters's in Restorative Justice.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/world/asia/japan-kamikaze.html
War, even a so-called "just war", always hurts far more people than it helps and leaves very deep scars on most of the participants, the combatants as well as the non-combatants. But impromptu emotional celebrations are nice. Nice poem! And DIN just keeps getting better and better as you add new features.
The last entry in my father’s war diary, a little more than 75 years and three months ago:
Sept 2. V-J Day. Japan formally surrendered in a ceremony aboard the USS Missouri today. We are in the China Sea now, the water is a yellowish green color here, not like the dark blue of the ocean. Saw 3 Chinese junks today. Wooden sails & all. It doesn’t hardly seem true that we are no longer at war but since it is I’ll train in and secure. It’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling just knowing’ that someday soon everything will be all squared away. There have been times when everything was a little rough and times when things were pleasant. On the…