Writing Poetry posted May 29, 2023

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This is a rhyming poem.

They Knew

by Regina Elliott

At Camp Lejeune 1953-1987,

our Marines drank tainted water,

so did their spouses, sons, daughters.

How could this be true?!

the USMC base brass knew-

water our troops drank was

skull and crossbones death,

it takes away my breath.

Is this what happens when

one signs,

on the commitment line?!

Risk life and limb, it's

nothing to them,

in our troops lives it

became mayhem.

This abomination continued,

the cancers crept in, no one

rescued.

It came from off-base

dry cleaners, leaky storage

tanks, chemical dumping,

how could the brass have

slept knowing something.

August 10, 2022, Congress

passed Camp Lejeune

Justice Act,

a year later dying poisoned

Marines still waiting for

their compensation, that's

a sad fact.

45,000 claims still not

resolved,

U.S. gov't, you're not

absolved,

It's a tragic shame-

that recently billions

of dollars from the

U.S. went to Ukraine. ~

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Readers please take a pause today
to honor and remember our fallen
troops, and our troops poisoned
from a negligent U.S. government.

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This is a rhyming poem.

They Knew

by Regina Elliott

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