Medicine Poet Dan Holst

Today, I'm sharing a poem sent to us from Dan Holst. Dan is a twenty-one year veteran of the United States Air Force. While serving in Italy during Operation Allied Force, he bought a compilation of America’s 100 Greatest Poems. He admired the love of Anne Bradstreet, shared the demons of Poe, and found kinship between all warriors with Claude McKay's words: if we must die–oh, let us nobly die.  His love of poetry was born.

ZERO — ZERO — ZERO

Across the Nebulae
A battle through the eagle's eye
We fought the enemy down
But they’re not gone
Intruded through and upon
Fighting hand-to-hand
Through death, wounds, and scars
I’m told we won.

DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ONE

My crew fought bravely
Many died
Now I limp them home
Or what remains of them
They will heal but my soul is scarred
Systems askew, I will never again
Fly true.

DESTRUCT SEQUENCE TWO

Within me remains an intruding creation
I will fight this sickening infiltration.
An engineering dysfunction
Puts my weapons in disarray
It de-energizes my core
Depress a switch
Sparks flying without integrity. 

DESTRUCT SEQUENCE THREE

I arrive safely — what they say is home
Release my crew
But home was out there
Dodging fire
Winning every fight
Yet desire remains
An uncontrollable flame
So I return to space
For one final flare against this fiercest enemy
I do what I must
I will be free!
Please remember...
It's just a matter of my internal security.