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鈥檚 winning poem:
I鈥橫 COMING HOME
By Meagan Wiebe
I鈥檓 coming home for our first kiss
Because the bullets, they always miss.
You鈥檒l see my pride, strength and glory
I鈥檒l have the most victorious story.
I鈥檓 coming home for our wedding day,
Even though they too often say,
My dream is futile; will never come true
But I鈥檓 making a promise, and it is to you.
I鈥檓 coming home for our first child,
The way she laughs and beams and smiles.
I鈥檒l dance with her feet standing on mine,
And ask why you鈥檙e crying when I鈥檓 here and fine.
I鈥檓 coming home on her first day of school,
Even though there鈥檚 a dark red pool
Of blood all around me, staining my clothes,
These gunshot wounds are more than I鈥檇 hoped.
I鈥檓 coming home and now is the time,
Just a bit early I鈥檓 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鈥檛 look the same and you can鈥檛 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鈥檓 going to my grave, for it鈥檚 where I will lie,
I鈥檓 coming home today,
The day that I died.
