Poem for Rafael

He came to these United States
To be part of this great land,
And he honored her in all he did
Up through a final stand.

Impressed by the Marines he knew,
Their brotherhood so tight,
The eagle, globe and anchor,
And the claim of “First to Fight,”

The day he got his green card,
As his recruiters know,
He was back inside their office
Saying, “Now, ready to go.”

From the Depot’s yellow footprints
To the Lava Dogs’ K-Bay,
Then off to Okinawa,
Jump-off point for Iraq’s fray.

He was one of Alpha’s sergeants
When the marching orders came,
And they battled in Fallujah,
Where the bad guys did the same.

As platoon scout for his charges,
His pledge caused him to strive:
He’d do all within his power
So they’d make it home alive.

On a day of clearing houses,
He gave a squad a hand
As they searched from room to room
In a troubled distant land.

And when Rafa swung a door back,
There came a deafening sound
As bullets struck his body,
And he crumpled to the ground.

Marines rushed in behind him
And sprayed the room with lead
As their leader lay face down,
And they feared that he was dead.

The insurgents having bolted,
One tossed back a live grenade,
And it came to rest about a foot
From where Peralta laid.

His men surveyed the yellow bomb,
Minds racing with alarm;
Their fallen sergeant moved a bit,
And then with outstretched arm,

Rafa clutched the deadly object
And tucked it out sight;
Its explosion ripped his body
With devastating might.

And his comrades in the room,
Without the time to bail,
Were saved the mortal blast,
With its smothered shrapnel hail.

And they went home to their loved ones,
Where they speak in hallowed heed
Of their loving Marine Corps brother,
Who followed word with deed.

He died a U.S. citizen
who gave his very all,
With the U.S. Constitution
Back at home upon his wall.

So when you speak of immigrants
And where they fit today,
Please think of Sergeant Rafa
As you freely go your way.

by Kevin Murphy