Inspired from stories about Mrs. Autry's great-great-grandfather who served with the 21st Tennessee, In the Warmth of the Sun
In the Warmth of the Sun
By Eunice
Jones Autry
As
I sit by the window in the warmth of the sun,
Recalling
my memory just how it all begun.
How
the young with excitement and the older ones with prayer,
They
all went with courage their cause to declare.
From
out of the back woods and farms they did come.
Some
walking, some riding, but they all carried guns.
Through
no fault of their own a war had been started.
A
call had gone out for all the brave-hearted.
They
marched off to war our homes to defend,
For
days on long roads through snow, rain and wind.
They
at last faced the enemy and a baffle was fought,
Fighting
bravely for country to death gave no thought.
The
cries of the wounded and the dying was heard,
No
time to give comfort not even one word.
When
at dusk with shadows falling the guns became quiet,
With
little rest then came morning with no enemy in sight.
This
was the beginning with years ahead to go,
What
will the future bring us? What will we have to show?
We'll
march on for Victory goals lying ahead,
Not
one thing for breakfast not even some bread,
Our
fires might bring danger no time for it now,
We
go on determined and get by somehow.
No
letters from home will reach us today.
The
men are all worried about what our home folks will say.
Are
they sick? Are they weary? Or have anything to eat?
We
must fight to save them from death and defeat.
After
many battles with no end yet in sight,
Our
faith is not shaken in our cause which is right.
The
weeks become months and then months into years,
With
no blanket to warm us our fate holds no fear.
Our
homeland destroyed by robbers and thieves.
They
call themselves soldiers and take all with great ease.
The
cattle are slaughtered, our homes are all burned,
In
these years of destruction a great lesson is learned.
They
will never defeat us, though try as they might.
We
will never be conquered for our just cause is right.
They
overwhelm us with numbers a fact that is true,
We'll
not be defeated no matter what they might do.
After
four years of struggle they say now we are through.
The
rumors are flying, we know not which is true.
It's hard to remember just how far we have come,
A
thousand miles of hard fighting and yet we have not won.
We
will go home and gather our loved ones to our side,
We
may not have won but we all still have our pride.
As
we grow old and weary with our days nearly done,
We'll sit by the window in the warmth of the sun.
©
November 1998
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