These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,
Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.
The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth.
These had seen movement, and heard music; known
Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;
Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;
Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.
There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter
And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,
Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance
And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white
Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,
A width, a shining peace, under the night.

~ Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Robert Frost

Tonight, we say good-bye to a soldier who was known for his zest for life, his sense of humor and a smile that could brighten an entire room. His passing leaves behind family and friends with broken hearts and cherished memories of a man they will never forget. Please join me over the fold to remember a true American patriot ...  

EDIT: Thank you!!! I was so happy when I came home and saw that Sandy's diary is now on the Recommended list!

Please take a moment to remember two brave young solders: Spc. Joseph A. Ford, 23 and Pvt. Matthew W. Brown, 20 over at Sandy on Signal's dairy IGTNT: we remember two more

Those who have lost a loved one to war will never be able to forget.

Please, do not rec this diary, but instead rec IGTNT: we remember two more.

Sandy's diary deserves to be on the recommended list!

Today, the Department of Defense announced two more fatalities: one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.  According to the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count there are 4076 confirmed deaths and 1 pending confirmation in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  There have been 501 U.S. deaths in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.  

Both men are classified as non-combat related casualties, a term used too frequently of late.  These men  were serving in war and just their presence deserves in Iraq and Afghanistan needs to be acknowledged and thanked for their sacrifice.  This is all that needs to be said.  

"It was like watching a dream but before I knew it the dream was over..."

Quote from Ara Tyler Deysie's MySpace page

Please join me and the IGTNT team as we mourn and honor 18-year-old Ara Tyler Deysie, of Parker, Arizona, who died May 9th, 2008 in Paktia Province, Afghanistan when his Army unit came under rocket-propelled grenade fire.

Perhaps some day the sun will shine again,
And I shall see that still the skies are blue,
And feel once more I do not live in vain,
Although bereft of You.

Perhaps the golden meadows at my feet
Will make the sunny hours of spring seem gay,
And I shall find the white May-blossoms sweet,
Though You have passed away.

Perhaps the summer woods will shimmer bright,
And crimson roses once again be fair,
And autumn harvest fields a rich delight,
Although You are not there.

But though kind Time may many joys renew,
There is one greatest joy I shall not know
Again, because my heart for loss of You
Was broken, long ago.

Perhaps
By Vera Brittain

This Mother's Day, I offer these lines from "The Mother," by May Herschel-Clarke:

...She lives as though for ever in your sight,
Loving the things you loved, with heart aglow
For country, honour, truth, traditions high,
--Proud that you paid their price. (And if some night
Her heart should break--well, lad, you will not know.)

Tonight two more broken-hearted mothers mourn their sons -- Pfc. Aaron J. Ward, 19, of San Jacinto, Calif. and Spc. Alex D. Gonzalez, 21, of Mission, Texas. Please join me in remembering their lives and service.

In the coming days, communities from McComb, Mississippi to Norwalk, California will lay to rest four Marines and two soldiers who gave their lives in service to their country.

Lance Cpl. Casey L. Casanova was described by her mother as a giggly, bubbly girl who excelled as a Marine.

Cpl. Miguel A. Guzman was a quiet man who chose to let his deeds speak for him.

Lance Cpl. James F. Kimple could have become anything he wanted to, according to one of his teachers.

Sgt. Glen E. Martinez enlisted when he could have fast-tracked to become an officer, because he wanted "the men and women to respect me, knowing that I've been where they're at."

Staff Sgt. Kevin C. Roberts enlisted because he felt he had served his community as best he could as a volunteer firefighter and it was time to serve his country.

Spc. Jeremy R. Gullett, also a volunteer firefighter, had dreamed of becoming a soldier since the age of 6.

Please join me to honor their brave sacrifices and grieve for their families, friends, communities and units who will forever hold these special people in their hearts.

 May the good Lord be with you
   Down every road you roam
   And may sunshine and happiness
   Surround you when you're far from home
   And may you grow to be proud
   Dignified and true
   And do unto others
   As you'd have done to you
   Be courageous and be brave
   And in my heart you'll always stay
   Forever young, forever young

   From "Forever Young" by Rod Stewart

Tonight we remember Pvt. Corey L. Hicks, a brave soldier who worked to find and destroy improvised explosive devices, saving a countless number of lives

Tonight, we honor 1st Lt. Matthew Vandergrift, who died in Basra, Iraq on April 21st.  

From the Department of Defense:

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1st Lt. Matthew R. Vandergrift, 28 of Littleton, Colo., died April 21 from wounds he suffered while conducting combat operations in Basrah, Iraq.  He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Please, friends, don't rec this little diary - its simply a request to please consider visiting today's IGTNT diaries while you're waiting for results to come in.  

greenies wrote a beautiful memorial for 21-year-old Jeffrey F. Nichols, who left a wife and a baby son behind.  Only 21, and life's possibilities, joys, and challenges were cut short by an IED.

We have a second IGTNT diary today, where first-time diarist FreedomRider wrote a heart-breaking tribute to his stepfather, L. John Berreyes, a Vietnam Veteran who committed suicide last month.

Please consider reading - and recommending - these heartfelt tributes.  If ever you need a reminder why we need Democrats in office, you'll find the reason there in those two diaries.

Peace and Blessings.

There's a beauty in the river
There's a beauty in the stream
There's a beauty in the forest at night
When the lonely nightbird screams
And there's so much time for singin'
And so much time for words
There's so much time to listen
And so much time to be heard

There's a brighter day round the corner
There's a crown behind the hill
There's a city of light on that foggy mountain top
Where the wind is never still
And there's so much time for livin'
And so much time to die
There's so much time for laughin'
And so much time to cry

From "Beauty in the River"
Ozark Mountain Daredevils

The hearts of the Highland Lakes region of Central Texas are doubly broken this week. On the heels of lowering their flags in mourning for Sgt. Mark Stone (beautifully honored by moneysmith here), comes the news that Specialist Jeffrey F. Nichols, 21, of Granite Shoals, Texas was killed in Baghdad on May 2, when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb.

Please join me in honoring the memory of this young husband and father who gave his life in service to his country.

After years of visiting DailyKos as a reader, I have never posted a diary or even a response.  But the time has come for me to speak out, particularly after reading two recent diaries about US military veterans -- one from the current war and one from WWII -- who ended their lives recently.

This has been a very difficult few weeks for our military men and women serving in Iraq. The AP reports that, as of Saturday, the death toll in Iraq was at least 4071 military members killed since the beginnings of the Iraq War in March of 2003. The names of three more casualties were annonced on Saturday, May 3rd.

This diary is dedicated to the memories of Staff Sgt. Chad A. Caldwell, Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence D. Ezell, and Sgt. Jerry L. DeLoach. Please follow me below the fold to learn more about the lives of these three brave soldiers.

Tonight we pay tribute to two soldiers who died together in Iraq and will be sorely missed by their loved ones: Cpt. Andrew. R. Pearson, 32, of Billings, Montana, and Spc. Ronald J. Tucker, 21, of Fountain, Colorado.

Of everything in this world,
I guess I'll never know why,
Something as good as this could,
Flower up and die.

- From "Reason to Cry," by Lucinda Williams

Please join us below the fold to pay tribute to these two young men tonight.

I have nothing but tears tonight. Three more service members -- Sgt. Merlin German, 22 of Manhattan, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Clay A. Craig, 22, of Mesquite, Texas; and Staff Sgt. Bryan E. Bolander, 26, of Bakersfield, Calif. -- are lost to us and to all who knew and loved them.

Merlin German suffered burns over 97 percent of his body and was not expected to live. He underwent well over 100 operations, and healed enough not only to re-learn how to walk but also to dance with his mother.

Clay Craig would have been home in a few months.

Bryan Bolander would have been married on June 6 and his would-be best man will now be his pallbearer instead.

Please take a few minutes to get to know these men and to help us mourn their loss.

Evening Waterfall

What as the name you called me? –
And why did you go so soon?

The crows lift their caw on the wind,
And the wind changed and was lonely.

The warblers cry their sleepy-songs
Across the valley gloaming,
Across the cattle-horns of early stars.

Feathers and people in the crotch of a treetop
Throw an evening waterfall of sleepy-songs.

What was the name you called me? –
And why did you go so soon?

Carl Sandburg

Tonight we honor the lives of five young men who are gone far too soon. Two lost their lives in Afghanistan, in separate incidents supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, while the other three died together in Baghdad. All were inspired to serve our nation for different reasons, even though they shared the same quiet pride and dedication. Please join me over the fold to remember these fallen heroes. [NOTE: This is the first of two IGTNT diaries being published today. The second, by SisTwo, can be found here.]

Once again we welcome our dead back home. Tonight those we honor are:

* Private First Class William T. Dix - an engineer who will be honored at services in Virginia
* Private First Class Joseph K. Meyer, Jr. - the only son of a North Dakota family
* Corporal Robert L. Mason - a teenager from Parkersburg, West Virginia

The family and friends of William Dix are still recovering from the shock of his recent death. However, those still living, who knew Joseph Meyer and Robert Mason have waited 57 years to hold a funeral for them.

Due to the large number of casualties announced this week, there will be two IGTNT diaries published tonight. Be sure to visit Moneysmith's diary also.