Military Deployment Poem (or Poem with a Blanket)

Wrapped in Daddy’s Love

(or Mommy’s, depending on the family)

Your daddy will be leaving soon

To somewhere far away,

Because he wants to keep you safe

In hometown USA.

We know that you will miss him lots

And even cry some tears,

But we have a snuggly secret

To help you calm your fears.

Anytime you miss your dad

And want to feel him close,

Just hold this cuddly blanket

And sniff it with your nose!

It should smell so clean and fresh

Like raindrops from above

Now pull it all around you

And you’re wrapped in daddy's love!

Your daddy’s thinking of you

Every moment he’s away,

And with this special blanket

You’ll feel close to him each day.

Your daddy is a hero –

And he wants to let you feel

His snuggly blanket hugs until

He’s home and makes them real!

Poem by Jenn Stewart

March 2009

The Rest of the Story

When we lived in South Dakota near the Ellsworth Airforce Base, it felt like a constant revolving door of servicemen and women coming and going. But the image of a revolving door is one produced by my adult brain. It’s something that tries to make sense of the relentless change. However, when I picture it from a kid’s point of view, I start to see it more like a merry-go-round that never stops. One minute the kid is on top of the world riding next to mom or dad. The next minute, mom or dad is gone. Frantic, the child begins to sob. They get off their horse and wander around, off-balance, dazed and confused. Just when they can’t take it anymore, and they want to throw-up, their best friend and protector again appears, and all is right with the world once more. Life on top of the merry-go-round continues.

My heart went out to these little ones, especially the kids just old enough to start understanding what this deployment-carousel was all about. I wondered if there was anything I could do to help. At one point, I remember a large deployment was announced and many of my friends and their kids would be affected. So, I started brainstorming. I wondered what kinds of things really comforted these kids. Big soft fluffy blankets came to mind. It got cold in the fall and winter, and you’d often see a young child bundled up in their mom’s arms in a huge snuggly blanket as they were running errands. You can probably guess the rest of this story.

A huge part of my personalized poetry during this time of life involved writing poems attached to items I liked to bake (think cookies or banana bread), or items I could easily purchase and give away with the poems (like candy or a blanket). Poetry was my way to connect with the recipient on a more personal level, almost along the same line as someone who crochets a hat or gloves for someone they care about. Personalized poems became my way of showing those around me that I cared about them and their lives. Why? Because it takes something very precious to create poems – time. What’s the one thing your kids want more than anything else? Yep, it’s your time. When I give someone a poem, I’m really giving them my time.

Can you think of something you do for others that takes a portion of your precious time? What’s the best way you ever felt you spent your time?