There is one front and one battle where everyone in the United States—every man, woman, and child—is in action and will be privileged to remain in action throughout this war. That front is right here at home, in our daily lives and in our daily tasks. Here at home everyone will have the privilege of making whatever self-denial is necessary, not only to supply our fighting men, but to keep the economic structure of our country fortified and secure during the war and after the war.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio broadcast to the nation, April 28, 1942


Friday, March 25, 2011

Kilroy Was Here


Evelyn


KILROY WAS HERE

I don’t know who started it.
The story I heard was
it’s an inspector in Boston
who drew the big-nosed face
on ships that he had okayed.
But who knows, there are
other stories going round.

Leave it to the sophomore boys
to pick up on a fad and overdo it.
They think they’re so clever.
KILROY WAS HERE is now in
every girls room in the school.
I know my brother had
something to do with it.

That’s why I decided to get even.
I snatched a pair of his drawers
from the line and drew Kilroy
on the seat of the pants.
I’m sure mother will figure out
who defaced Jimmy’s drawers.
I have a feeling she’ll be laughing.


© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photo, from the WW II monument in Washington, D.C., by Kurt Magoon.

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