Inscription on dog tags
"VIETNAM"
"COMING HOME, JUST A NUMBER"

NATIVE BORN

HE FOUGHT FOR THE LAND OF THE FREE
THE HOME OF THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE
HE FOUGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER
DENIED HIS OWN HERE AT HOME

TO THE LAND OF THE STARS AND THE STRIPES
HE RETURNED BUT HE NEVER CAME "HOME"
A WELCOME MAT WAS NEVER LAID OUT
NO PARADES OR TICKER TAPE

WELCOME HOME WAS NEVER SPOKEN
AND HE RETURNED WEARING HIS SCARS
HIS MEMORIES, HIS BROKEN HEART
AS A STRANGER IN THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

THIS WARRIOR OF YESTERDAY 
A VETERAN OF TODAY
FIGHTING THE BATTLE IN HIS MIND
ONE HE WILL NEVER FORGET

AMERICA IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP
REALIZE THE HEROES ARE HERE TODAY
HIDING SOMETIMES IN A CARDBOARD BOX
EATING OUT OF THE SCRAPS

THANK THEM FOR YOUR FREEDOM
GIVE THEM A WELCOME HOME HUG
LATER MAY BE TOO LATE

BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING
LOLA RIOS
12/04/02

Inscription on dog tags
"FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF ANOTHER"
"DENIED HIS OWN AT HOME"

Inscription on dog tags
"THE COST OF FREEDOM"
"IN HIS IMAGE.."

Uneven Trade

For the love of country, flag and freedom
A flag is received for a life given

A reminder of the greatest sacrifice
To have and to hold

Many a torn heart left behind

All children of One, under the Sun
In one Earth yet called aliens if not the "same"

When minds "think not alike"
The disagreement's solution leads to despair

The whole Earth mourns
Pain knows no boundaries,
No colors, no race, male or female in it's wrath we
Are the same

Be Blessed
Lola F. Rios
4/24/02

The Secret

  Thirty some years ago to a land no one knew
A young man was sent to fight a war
And an enemy he did not know
Doing the same as he was
A service to his country as he was also told

  He came back in “secret” to this land
As if an alien or a traitor in shame
Because if “found out”
He was spit on, mocked and condemned
Like the Son born in Israel

  What a way to receive this young man
Whose sacrifice was more than some could stand
The scars he bore are still on his “back”
His heart that once broke has never healed back

  Few are his words about that time long ago
Rarely does he let anyone know
That he gave it all he had
in a land that he never forgot

  VietNam

Thank you, WELCOME HOME!!
BE BLESSED AND A BLESSING
LOLA RIOS
C

 POW-MIA KIA’S NEVER FORGET!

Inscription on dog tags
"VIETNAM"
"JOHN DOE"

Inscription on dog tags
"NATIVE SON"
"VIETNAM"

Native Son
First Warrior, First Veteran

  To his land and his people they came
With destruction unlike they had known
They preached religion and stole his land
Talked of God and killed the men

  The children were sent to “reform”
A new language to learn for theirs was “wrong”
For this land he fought and has fought
Though his rights have often been “none”

  He has served his country proudly
The land of the Stars and the Stripes
In every conflict
In every war
This Warrior’s presence
Has not been far!

  The First Warrior
First Veteran

  The Native Son!

  Be Blessed and a Blessing!!
Lola Rios
C

Scars & Strips

In a world of confusion and hate
We demand respect and equality

United we stand... we say
To that I ask... you and who else
United means all in unison

We are united in our church groups
Place of work
Or "happy hour"

If we are of the same faith
same color, same language
if we live in the right place
or
Wear the right clothes
Etcetera!

The minute we don't agree
We turn on a dime
Brother against brother
Father against son
Mothers against daughters

Our forefathers could never have dreamt
That in this the greatest nation
We would give up our morals for "freedom"

Freedom has left many a scarred mind and body
Many a warrior in a hospital, wheelchair or the grave
There is a wall in DC full of names.. for freedom

Stop for a minute and think
What does their sacrifice mean to you?

Would you take their place?
What is united we stand?
United we stand
we can't even do it in our own homes

Ask a veteran... I bet he could tell you

Be blessed and a blessing
Lola Rios
2003

Inscriptions
Heart "IN THE LINE OF"
Dog tag "FOR THE LOVE OF COUNTRY"