Simon Vincent Ladd

6 Comments

Simon Vincent Ladd


The eldest son of an Irishman,
Was Simon Vincent Ladd.
Raised outside of Washington,
When times were not that bad.
Men valued what they had.

Born in the winter of '56.
When it was good to be alive.
Penny jars and muscle cars,
Women with tall beehives.
Glasses over sized.

Half Catholic and half Protestant,
Were Simon's mom and dad.
Both got married way too young,
Victims of a social fad.
They struggled for all they had.

In '59 war broke out,
In North and South Vietnam.
Determined to stamp communism out,
We fought the Viet Cong.
Many felt it was wrong.

A brand new decade, 1960.
Simon Vincent turned four.
His parents barely managed each week,
On $100 or more.
It was tough being poor.

In that year's election,
John F. Kennedy won.
Despite some strong objections,
The war carried on.
Many cried we didn't belong.

When he was seven, Simon recalled,
His father was 25.
A handsome man, slender and tall,
Quite the athletic guy.
It was a balmy July.

Later on that summer, of 1963,
Two hundred thousand men of color,
Marched on Washington, D.C.,
Led by a Doctor named Martin Luther,
They shared a collective dream.

Times got worse, money was short,
Even his mom got a job.
The month before, Kennedy was shot,
More went to Vietnam.
People feared the nuclear bomb.

In '64 his sister was born,
Life got twice as tough.
His dad jumped 'round from job to job.
Tried different kinds of stuff.
Nothing seemed enough.

In '65 his father decides,
To sign up for the war.
Despite resistance from his wife,
He walks right out the door.
Things got worse than before.

Soon new checks came rolling in,
Dad finally found steady work.
They got a letter now and then,
A picture was an extra perk.
Mom no longer worked.

In '67 Simon was eleven,
His sister was almost 3.
That Doctor spoke in New York City,
He was hailed a modern King.
It was a tenuous thing.

He opposed the war and poverty,
Spoke of life beyond.
He forged a war for equality.
Was anti-Vietnam.
Cautiously, life moved on.

Though his father never bothered,
To visit or phone home.
The checks kept coming,
While Simon was becoming,
A young man on his own.

On April 4th of '68 Dr. King was shot.
It affected Simon a lot.
Many people protested, many people fought,
King haters boasted, he deserved what he got.
Simon thought definitely not.

That same year, with the election near,
Another Kennedy died.
How it happened wasn't clear,
He remembered his mother cried.
Simon just sat and sighed.

The war raged on in Vietnam,
As Nixon became President.
In '69 Apollo 11 set a precedent.
On July 16th the moon became,
Man's newest residence.

In July of '69,
Simon's baby sister turned five,
It was a turbulent time.
Simon's father was still alive,
The family still survived.

One month later, in mid August,
Four hundred thousand arrived.
At Yasgur's farm in a place called Woodstock,
A concert, rain or shine.
The largest of it's kind.

The decade turned and so did Simon,
A muscular, bright 14.
Everyday day the news reminded him,
How terrible war can be.
It was all he'd ever see.

In May that year a shooting occurred,
At a Ohio University.
Four students died, at Kent State.
As guards shot radomly.
In a protest violence free.

A telegram came later that month,
Simon remembered getting the mail.
His mom immediately opened the letter,
Then suddenly turned totally pale.
He consoled her to no avail.

He read that day his dad was missing,
He'd been listed MIA,
Lost somewhere in Northern Asia.
Around Memorial Day,
All the Ladds could do was pray.

To make things worse the income stopped,
Mom no longer got dad's checks.
Soon she had to go back to work,
The whole thing was one big mess.
That's how it went, he guessed.

The war raged on against the Viet Cong,
It was now in year eleven,
New York City opened tower one,
It seemed to reach to Heaven.
Simon's sister turned seven.

In '71, Simon had begun,
To look like a full grown man.
He helped his mom best he could,
Did what a 15 year old can.
The Beatles were his favorite band.

Later that year tower 2 appeared,
Majestically by one's side.
They called them twins, America cheered.
No one could match their size.
Simon wondered if that was wise.

In '72, Simon knew,
His dad would never come home.
Mr. Ladd gave all he had,
Now rested all alone.
In some God forsaken zone.

The President visited China,
Was re-elected that same year.
Tragedy struck the Munich Olympics,
As 11 Israeli's disappeared.
It was many folks greatest fear.

At 16 Simon realized,
If the war went on.
Its he who would be victimized,
Forced to carry on.
Soon the draft would come..

He thought alot about his father,
For many a sleepless night.
Sometimes he would sit and wonder,
What it was like to fight.
Was it wrong or right?

One thing always made him sad,
How much he missed his dad.
It had been seven years,
Of missing what he had.
How could he not be mad?

The year became '73 and still they got no word.
They'd asked for confirmation.
Sought what they deserved.
They got no information.
Simon would not be deterred.

Just when it seemed hopeless,
That the end was no where near.
A ceasefire was called on the 28th day,
Of January that new year.
Many didn't care.

There was still no word on Simon's father,
Or hundreds of MIA's.
Why would anyone even bother,
To search for them anyway?
God bless the USA.

On a blistery day in November, 1973,
A day Simon will remember,
The Lord shined mercifully.
There came a knock at the front door.
Of Simon Vincent Ladd.
When he opened it, there he stood.
Simon Vincent's Dad.




Copyright © December 2009
Kevin Mooney

kmm061
122909

Poem Comments

(6)

Please login or register

You must be logged in or register a new account in order to
leave comments/feedback and rate this poem.

Login or Register

Rhymer commented on Simon Vincent Ladd

09-27-2010

An epic write down memory lane, quite a talent being displayed in this epic write. 10 from me.

simoneaugustus commented on Simon Vincent Ladd

09-27-2010

You, my friend, are like 10 gallons of talent in a 5 gallon bucket. Enough said. ;)

erroneousflint commented on Simon Vincent Ladd

09-27-2010

A superbly elegiac poetic documentary , that awakened me with a smack to the face, with the unfolding of the chronological pieces of history, I was so part of.....Both remarkable to memory and that which is seeking sanctuary to the past... One of my top 3 on this site for sure

rsalassi commented on Simon Vincent Ladd

09-25-2010

see private message..........................................

Teardrops commented on Simon Vincent Ladd

09-25-2010

Kevin i had a lot of friends go to Nam and never return this poem was a great time line and i am glad you let me read it . Loved it Marie

kmooney

09/25/2010

Thanks Marie. This was a poem I wrote last year that somehow never got posted. I'm glad you liked it. Kevin

Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion.

T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) American-English poet and playwright.

kmooney’s Poems (300)

Title Comments
Title Comments
I Took My Friend... 1
Twenty Tiny Angels 0
Cosmic Caribou 0
Suddenly Philip (Seymour) 1
Little Miss 0
Happy Birthday Christina 2
Atomic Picnic 1
Men From Mars 3
Itty-Bitty Persian Kitty 1
A Gunslinger's Last Request 2
Frankly Scarlett 2
All that in 100 years... 2
The Man Of A Thousand Voices 0
Side By Side, Together 1
Seal Team Six Solstice Psalm 0
Ever Wonder? 3
De Captain 0
Another Poignant Calm 1
Somber Moments 1
Christopher Colin Sinclair 1
A Unique Eulogy 2
Bathed In Innocense 1
God Bless Our America 0
This Man That I Once Knew 0
Impenetrable Calm 0
They Just Called Her Liz 1
Poor Miss Cynthia Weir 0
Oh So Many, Oh So Few 0
A Singular Grain of Sand 0
Dinner Table Jib Jab 3
Weeping Willow Trees 0
No Greater Love 1
Paper Pawns 0
Two Perfect Chips of Stone 1
A Death Poem 10
Excitement of a Touch 6
The Solitude of Bronze 4
With All That's Happening 3
You're Still a Good Man To Me 11
Walter Augustus Lee 4
Elliot Garfield, Where You Been? 6
Pass The Guinness Here 9
Proud and Tall 6
Let's Celebrate Again! 3
In The Mirror 9
The Abandoned Work Boat 7
A Hero's Last Stand 11
Perpetual Nightmare 8
Those Short Eyes 9
October 12
Dear Mom... 45
John, Julian & Sean 13
The Day John Lennon Died 40
Glen Echo Amusement Park 10
Stop The Drama 10
Downpour (a psalm) 15
BD Boulevard 4
An October Scare (the face of death) 3
Simon Vincent Ladd 6
A Special Guest For Dinner 25
The Blind Pickled Porcupine and His Drunken Skunk Friend 13
Coastermania 8
Whatchu Mean Willis? 3
Timothy (the day F. Murray fell) 5
A Child's Mind 12
My Three Shadows 5
Recurring Nightmare...R
evisited
9
Another Blue Tuesday Morn (the 95th floor) 26
Pills 7
They're Only The Piano Players 4
The Castles of Callisto 5
The Fourth Mr. Mapother 9
A Rose 14
Time Well Spent 10
Pet Cemetery Epitaphs 10
The Last Judgement 22
Pardon My French 20
Nocturnal Classic Rock 16
Shoo-fly Pie 11
Welcome to the Freak Show 16
Spirits of 161 12
Monkey See, Monkey Do 14
Like a Norman Rockwell 6
The Carnival of Souls 11
Dr. Geisel Thank You Please 4
Guido the Mosquito 6
I Am... 4
There Comes a Time 4
Blackbird 6
Popsicle Stick Races 7
An Albino Rhino 5
The Spurious Bull Frog 7
The Last Wizard 3
Little Windows 5
The Gator Ate Her 6
Just A Buck? 2
Can Tigers Really Swim? 5
Fallen Fathers, Forgotten Sons 1
Hopper 2
Creeping Crud 3
You Talkin' To Me? 2
Alabaster, Gold, Coral Blue and Grey 4
What if? 11
A Darker Poignant Calm 9
Tsunami Wake Reprise 5
The Final Tour 24
Summer Signs 27
A Dog Haiku 8
The Stars (A Haiku) 11
Natas L. Useifer 27
The Moon 9
Tornado 7
The Boss 19
Ray of Sunshine (Haiku) 6
Rainbow Haiku 9
Let's All Pause 5
Butterfly Requiem 17
Me and My Old Man 14
Porcelain Seagull 3
aka Richard Bachman 12
Juniper Jason Paul 10
Wormholes 14
A Bottle in the Sand 15
The Day The Apostles Cried 6
Love's The Common Key 4
Rain (A Haiku) 6
Spring (A Haiku) 5
An Ant Haiku 7
Shadows Loom 8
Teacup Pig 4
Reflections 3
The Shores of Coeur d'Alene 3
No Reason Anymore (NRA) 5
Little Yellow Peeps 5
A New Hampshire Rooster Haiku 5
I Came Upon... 5
Good Evening 2
Purple Penguins 5
Who Do You Think You Are? 4
Four Faces Carved in Stone 9
Nature's Perfect Valentine 8
The Silhouettes of Marionettes 7
Another Icicle Haiku 6
Blizzard (An Acrostic) 4
The Quiet Calm 7
Icicles (A Haiku) 4
This Is What I Saw 7
In The Blink Of An Eye 1
A Touch 4
The Wizards, Witches and Warlocks Winter Jamboree 8
An Igloo In My Brain 10
A Jewish Cowgirl 10
Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moe 28
Little White Tiger Cub 17
Childlike Daydreams 20
Children of Destiny 12
Roswell, New Mexico, 1962 12
Heroes, Kings and Ghosts 11
If You Want... 11
The Cold (A Haiku) 9
Deja Vu 15
A Solemn Oath? 5
Little Polar Bear 4
Timid Timothy 5
A Popeye Poem 7
Another Brand New Day 3
Psalm 23 1/2 5
A Christmas Tree Haiku 2
Santa Claus 2
The Christmas Star (A Haiku) 5
Noel 7
Severna Park 5
From Manger To Cross 3
Snow (A Haiku) 7
What Christmas Is All About 5
The Gridiron Waltz 4
Mermaid 5
Gold 5
Whatever Happened To... 7
As We Gather... 1
Disposable World 1
Fade To Black 2
The Life Of A Leaf 6
Elwood P. Dowd 9
Sail 6
Where Heaven Used To Be 16
Parallel to Eternity 5
The Broken Violin 10
Treebeard 12
Abducted 10
Go Ahead, Make My Day 10
Salvation in Disguise 6
Another War of the Worlds? 1
Little Sunbird (A Haiku) 4
Anissa? Is That You? 12
Self-Denied, Satisfied and Crucified 7
Graveyards at Night 9
New Friends 8
Trick or Treat... 65
Canopied Calliope 12
The Perfect Poem 13
Borrowed Shoes 12
The Realm of Darkness 11
Let's Fall In Love Again 10
Pavlov's Command 5
Clandestine 4
Land and Sea 7
More Dog Letters to God... 11
Life in Perspective 7
Anatomy of an Urge 16
The Face of Infernal Destruction 13
Hand Me Down Life 11
Nymphs of the Night 8
The Gates of Hell 8
Animated Anthropomorph
ic Animal Superheroes
5
These Are The Things... 5
The Rings of Trees 7
Alabaster and Gold, Coral Blue and Grey 4
Dream Seekers 8
Falling Moon 9
The Valor of Common Men 6
Waterfall 4
The Wind 6
Castles of Opulent Accord 2
Another Rock 'n Roll Heaven 6
Metamorphosis 10
Wacky World 9
Recurring Nightmare 13
Undeniable 3
Tsunami 9
An Unfortunate Affair 8
Sentimental Eyes 7
A 21st Century Knight 10
Albert's Final Equation 8
A Legend's Last At Bat 16
It's a Wonderful Place 7
The Good Humor Man 18
Oodles of Doodles 22
Echoes of Mulberry Peak 10
Another Damaged Brain 7
I Gave My All 9
A Lion's Epitaph 3
The Scent of Summer Rain 4
A Ghost 3
Mr. Webber I Presume 5
God's Perfect Angel 21
Indian Summer 5
The Road To Calvary 5
Innocent Eyes 5
Quincy Who? 3
Grow Old With Me 12
My Morning Cup 3
Andrew Michael MCclure 8
Who's To Blame? 2
Good 'Ole Glory 5
Welcome To Baltimore Hun 8
Miss Amanda June 2
An April Psalm 7
I Came Home Today... 6
Annapolis City Dock 16
The Paradox of Oz 43
Baltimore Snowballs 6
My Constant Companion 19
Faceless Child 19
Blue Tuesday Morn (The 95th Floor) 14
Acrostically Faithful & True 7
Bartholomew Dylan Banks 12
In Honor of Frost 8
Fallen 10
Overture of Spring 6
Poignantly Calm 19
The Silhouettes of Kings 5
Comatose 1
Down De Ocean 6
Alzheimer's Lament 16
Until The Last Tear Is Shed 16
Cyber Queen 18
Do Animals Cry? 25
A Girl I Once Knew 15
The Power of Time 8
Friends 13
In The Void 14
Bouquet 13
The Sky 7
Don't Pretend 10
Wish I Did 7
Sue (A Cinderella Poem) 10
Brainwashed 6
The Light 12
The Paradox 14
Fastfood 15
Tomorrow 5
The Frisbee Catching Dog 10
What would it be like? 7
The Human Zoo 14
Dear Lord 18
Once In A Dream 10
Hear The People 9
Wish I Did 13
Please Listen 26