I originally published this last September, but wanted to repost it for Memorial Day.

The following poem was written by Linda J. (Gustafson) Newlin for her brother and to honor our men and women who so proudly serve this country. Her brother, PFC Randall J. Gustafson, was killed in Vietnam on Valentine’s Day, 1968 in Binh Duong, South VietNam. She wrote it in 2008, forty years after he was killed. Hopefully, if will bless you as it was intended to. Linda wrote me after hearing the Levin interview and I asked her if I could share this with you.

If God be the music
Let me stop to listen to the symphony

If life be a song
Let met sing it with my whole heart

If love be a tear
Let me sob with tears of joy and sorrow
For God has a special vial just for me.

If a soldier be the instrument of liberty
Let my voice ring out in honor to his/her memory

If a soldier sacrifices his life
Let it be for God, country and his fellow man
For no greater love can be given

If death be the dirge to awaken our souls
Let Christ be our peace and our hope

If memories be the key to my heart
Let them be cherished
For those who have fallen,
Know the memories are alive and well
And kept next to our vial of tears

If honor and duty be the trumpets of angels
Let it be heard as the battle cry of heroes
Shouting from the heavens
Some called home to sit at the right hand of God.

If courage be a soldiers heart beat
Let its rhythm give you strength
And life for one more day

If gratitude be a light to your path
Let it shine brightly on your face
And warm you while you’re away

If a prayer be the path
Let it travel straight to you

LINDA J (GUSTAFSON) NEWLIN
4/12/08