Robert Rohrer, president of Abbotsford Legion #15, presented Meagan Wiebe with a cheque for $150 for a poem she submitted to the Legion-sponsored literary and poster contest.
Meagan came in third place out of 7,000 students from across the B.C./Yukon district. She is a grade 12 student at the Fraser Valley Adventist Academy in Aldergrove, and her future plans are to go on to university to study journalism and creative writing.
The following is Meagan’s winning poem:
I’M COMING HOME
By Meagan Wiebe
I’m coming home for our first kiss
Because the bullets, they always miss.
You’ll see my pride, strength and glory
I’ll have the most victorious story.
I’m coming home for our wedding day,
Even though they too often say,
My dream is futile; will never come true
But I’m making a promise, and it is to you.
I’m coming home for our first child,
The way she laughs and beams and smiles.
I’ll dance with her feet standing on mine,
And ask why you’re crying when I’m here and fine.
I’m coming home on her first day of school,
Even though there’s a dark red pool
Of blood all around me, staining my clothes,
These gunshot wounds are more than I’d hoped.
I’m coming home and now is the time,
Just a bit early I’m going to arrive.
The war is not over but my time is now done,
Just wait for me over the setting sun.
I see your face with tears unexpected,
I don’t look the same and you can’t accept it.
My skin is quite pale, eyes closed tight.
I thought I wanted the glory of fight.
Only 19 years old and these moments were stolen,
For the war took my heart, my body, and broke it.
I’m going to my grave, for it’s where I will lie,
I’m coming home today,
The day that I died.