Comment from LaRosa

Excellent

Always educational to read your research.
The photo is so expressive of your poem.
"I stay tethered" and "secure in your loving arms" ...well voiced emotion as well as 'need'
to be grounded and safe.
I know it's about a soldier's love for his lady, but also for family and country.
Enjoyed, sadly, to read it.

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, LaRosa.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

reply by LaRosa on 31-Mar-2017

Comment from royowen

Excellent

I think Australia had a contribution of nearly 417,000 men, of which 60,000 were killed, and 160,000 were wounded, gassed or taken prisoner from 1914-18, Out of a national population of 5 Million. So many were underage. I think there were 38 million allied troops, the rest must have been German plus allies. Americans lost 620,000 to death in their civil war, and 644.000 in all other combined theatres. I remember these stats from visits we made to American civil war sites in in 2012. Well done, these numbers are staggering, beautifully and thoughtfully written. Well done, Dean, blessings, Roy

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Roy.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

reply by royowen on 31-Mar-2017

Well done Dean

reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks

Comment from apky

Excellent

Thanks for all the back history. My own great-granddad fought in this war.
Your stats are worth my filing this away for some future use - who knows.
Have a fab weekend,
Apky

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, apky.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from evilynne

Excellent

Your poem is touching and, of course, written with your usual flare for words. I have only a basic knowledge of world history, so your background notes were fascinating to me. Evi

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Evi.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from TAB_that's me

Excellent

It is a sweet love poem. Staying home from war was about the only chance of survival back then.

Great tanka form, Dean.

Teresa

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Teresa.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from BeasPeas

Excellent

This is a nicely written tanka that focuses on the separation of lovers that occurs when troops are deployed rather than on the war itself. Your author's note is excellent (as is the tanka) giving the reader historical information on the conditions the military encountered. Thank you for sharing. Marilyn

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Marilyn.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from Ulla

Excellent

Hi Dean, this is poignant. It was tragic as all wars are but maybe it was the first of its kind. I have been to many of the horrific battle fields, during my upbringing. Bayonets still protruding through the earth where the trenches were!
So very well written. A lovely tanka. All the best. Ulla:))

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Ulla.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from Abby Wilson-hand

Exceptional

see you can be beautifly sentimental
I must say I love the picture to this beautiful
words you chose to go with this great job

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 02-Apr-2017

Thanks so much for reading my tanka, Abby, and for the wonderful six stars as well.
As always, I sure do appreciate it!

Comment from His Grayness

Excellent

WOW: as always the immediate impression of works from this brilliant and gifted author. Everything about this work deserves dozens of stars! The content of this work is exceptionally interesting and so well-presented that it is readily digested in spite of the depth of detail and relatively arcane subject matter here and there. Of course the packaging of this work stands alone in a zone of mastery which demonstrates its skill in all of this author's works. Thanks so much for another masterpiece! HIS GRAYNESS

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Vance.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

Comment from Rasmine

Excellent

Dean,
Thank you, for sharing this. Someone once told me that we will always have war because it is good for the economy. I hate to agree, but it's true--weapons, funeral homes, and so on. :( Wish peace helped the economy. (I'm thinking of a story idea :P) Maybe I will write it then mail it to Trump. Hopefully, he reads.
TC

 Comment Written 31-Mar-2017

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reply by the author on 31-Mar-2017

Thanks for reading my tanka, Rasmine.
I'm a relative newcomer to this form but I am trying to improve.
Hopefully I'll get there one of these days.
Much obliged for the kind review.
Take care,

reply by Rasmine on 31-Mar-2017

Okay, I'll tell ya' what I see in your signature--if you look at it a certain way I can make out the f word--okay maybe I need to go write and stop being childish. LOL :P
Have a good weekend! (Read my stuff if you have the time--think you would like Carnage Power)