Marine For Christ: Iraq < Poetry

The twenty-one poems in this set were all written between April to September of 2003 during my deployment as a United States Marine in Kuwait and Iraq. I spend most of that time in Al Kut, Iraq. As a Christian in the Marines, there wasn't only the physical war, but the spiritual war as well. In these poems, I pray that God would use these poems for His glory and that those who read them would reflect on the grace of God through Jesus Christ. The scope of this set covers quite a bit of spectrum of my time in Iraq: the mundane routine of day to day life on a former Iraqi base rename Blair field; the harsh weather; dealing with anger and violence; near-death and the death of an American service member; spiritual praises in the mist of trials to an Iraqi boy I've befriend, standing at Babylon and finally, the flight out of the middle east. It was indeed an experience, and these poems are some of my reflection with Christ being in the picture always. He has pulled me through, time and time again. Enjoy the poems, but more importantly, enjoy the Lord. Below are the descriptions of each poem.

Blair's Field Stay

Oh Lord, I hate apathy.
How I despise lukewarm!
I pray that spiritually,
To the world I won't conform.

I wake up each morning,
To find myself again in,
Radio Speakers blaring,
Iraqi Freedom mission.

Everyday seems the same,
No Sundays or Saturday,
Boredom seems to make things tame,
But everyday is a Monday.

I just ask Lord God Almighty,
As I stay in Al Kut,
May I serve Him mightily,
No ifs, excuses or but.
--Jimmy Li

This Marine's Desire

I think I knew before,
Even before the Marine Corps,
Where my heart is at,
And there is no debate of that.

Soldiering and the military,
I would agree definitely,
Is honorable and all,
But to me that's not all.

In Iraq I serve,
I beg to test my nerve,
Asked my Staff Sergeant,
For dangers with insurgent.

Even in Iraq it seem,
To serve twenty years in this team,
Is something I would like,
But in reality never might.

I love being a Marine,
I hold my flag in high esteem.
But to serve the Lord as a pastor,
Is the delight of loving my Master.

So someday when Iraq is over for me,
When explosions don't greet me daily,
And no more heavy packs on my shoulder,
May God grant that I'd be a pastor.
--Jimmy Li

Three Hours of Sleep

I stood on watch till one.
All night till my time was done.
Then I was awakened at four.
Watch again, once more.
It's no surprise then today,
I want to sleep all day,
So to the Lord I pray,
May the joy in the Lord show ray,
Be my strengths for today.
--Jimmy Li
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Hong Kong Chow Mein

Today in Iraq there were clouds,
Gray, dark rain carrying clouds.
Yet it was surely still hot,
The heat, I'm in Iraq, I still hear shot.
It feels like we've been here forever,
To finish this mission seems like never.
And as the sun hides suddenly,
The weather appearing quite gloomy,
The first raindrops fell,
Hits the dust and swell.
I wondered when was the last time it rain,
Besides our plane stop in Spain,
Recalling it was exactly a month ago,
Back in California on a weekend "libo",
That April twelfth being a Saturday,
Now it's the twelfth of May.
Halfway around the world,
I think about the restaurant Noodle World,
That evening the Lord has made,
When I met up with Campus Crusade.
I remember saying that night,
To myself and others alright,
Sitting with my order on dish,
"All this I'm going to miss!"
Just thinking of it now makes me drool,
I could salivate a children's pool,
Thinking of how good and how cool,
Fellowshipping with believers from school,
Over Hong Kong Chow Mien,
While I sit now and restrain,
My mouth from opening and stain,
My uniform from saliva gained.
Surely it rained today and then,
Making me miss all my friend,
Driving my own car that April night,
Wondering which direction was right,
To head home that night.
But for now I'll sit tight,
And trust the Lord in all,
Yes, trusting the Lord in all.
--Jimmy Li
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One Hundred Ten In May

I want to praise you!
Oh Lord, I praise you!
Though its one hundred ten degrees,
Humid with no breeze,
You are beyond this,
I know we are not helpless.

I think about the Bible,
And the prophet Daniel.
We are not far from Babylon,
A great city now gone,
And how Daniel worship,
In this heat and hardship.

Can it just be May,
Summer not too far away,
But its hot like this already?
Mid-summer must be deadly,
They say it can be one thirty,
I believe it now surely.

But Lord, you are beyond heat,
Through this Iraqi heat,
My lip still wants to sing,
Thanksgiving and praising,
Of your showers of blessing,
And who you are and being.

How much you are an oasis,
Worthy of my praises,
Provider of Living Water,
Giver of life, maker of matter.
Oh Lord, life you have given,
My sins on the cross forgiven,
What is a hot day to me?
I'll praise you daily.
--Jimmy Li

Red Cross Humvee

"Mister! Mister!" the kids shout,
"What that about, what about?"
Five kids or more standing by me,
All looking at me curiously.

Their fingers point past me,
What is it that they see?
I turn around and look,
Away from the kids with their book.

Against a white foot square,
Providing background I stare,
The Red Cross symbol they see,
On the side of our humvee.

What is it that they have seen?
Why that symbol, what does it mean?
How can an English-speaking Marine,
Explain what the Cross to these teen?

"Mister! Mister!" the kids shout,
"What about? What that about?"
I wished in college I took Arabic,
Instead of Political Economic.

How do I explain the Red Cross,
A savior that came to save the lost,
Christ blood being the cost,
When I'm in front of a mosque?

I wished I had Arabic tracts,
To share the gospel facts,
When the kids asked me for a book,
I wished I had an Arabic Good Book.
--Jimmy Li

Untitled

To the Lord who lives,
Oh your name, I praise You!
What can capture the grace,
Mercy, love and holiness too!

Your character and attribute,
Why my God is real.
Beyond the world's problem,
The future He has seal.

Why be benevolent to me,
I do not deserve this,
To praise His being and glory,
Oh I love my Jesus.
In Jesus name I pray, AMEN
--Jimmy LI

Old Sailors Looking at Me

Is my prayer journal to the Lord,
Something done because I am bored?
Middle age men glancing by,
With curious looks that ask, why?

When I read my Bible,
Does it mean I am in trifle,
Going through problems as a young man,
The world I yet to understand?

When I talk about my faith,
That it is by grace we're saved,
Do they dismiss it because of my youth,
And sneer at the truth?

Why do I write these poem,
Am I trying to be like Eminem,
Gibberish written at nineteen,
Too "sensitive" for being a Marine?

If someone goes through my bullets,
And find words written on it,
In order of "God, country, Corps",
Dedication they never seen before,
Would they have crazy eyes,
Looks of awe and surprise?

Twenty years service Navy men,
Starring at my helmet and what I penned,
Boldly up front: Marines for Christ,
Muslim land I'm in I realized.
But I dare all to read the back,
A bull's-eye drawn in black,
Presently not afraid to die,
In Christ, I'm not going to fry.

I wonder what is on their mind,
They serve their country superbly fine,
With their experiences that show,
Do they look at me as juvenile,
In need to grow up away from God?
--Jimmy Li

Selfish Sins

Sometimes I find myself angry,
To see others act so selfishly.
Then again I wonder about me,
How much I act selfishly,
And I ask God to show me when I sin.

I see an arrogant medical officer,
A Mosquito net he offer,
To a friend of mine without tent,
Weeks later take it from the one he lent,
Just because he could and my friend let,
Like the officer's tent don't have net.

Or some guy who takes away my cot,
Nearby vacant ones he could have sought,
And asking me to sweep the dust off too,
Because he knew I wouldn't say, "Screw you!"
Out of respect for him being Navy Blue,
I slept on the floor one night but not two.

How many examples I could give,
Selfish people and how they live?
But I'll stop here and be reminded,
It's a true fact most dreaded,
I'm a sinner myself too,
Lord, forgive the selfish sins I do.
--Jimmy Li

Humbledness Reminded

Lord, how arrogant can I be,
To always think its me.
You've reminded me of my mortality,
Frail and able to be killed so easily.
Oh, the fool that I am!
I could be so easily damned,
Its His grace that save,
Pride is not how I should behave.
I know I could be replace,
So I should live in light of His grace?br> --Jimmy Li
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Four Flips Humvee

Blessed that I'm alive,
Four flips on a humvee I survived.
Why I did not die,
Crushed or burned till I fry,
I really do not know,
Except save me he did not have too.
Remind me oh Lord of this,
His grace through Jesus,
To accept in all seriousness.
--Jimmy Li
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A Seabee's Death

Back home they say its over,
Ceasefire declared, "Its over!"
If it's over why I look over my shoulder,
Still hearing deaths of Marines and soldier.
Why they radio to me then
Of casualties from an explosion,
The dead body of a Navy Seabee,
Less than a feet away from me,
In a sleeping bag leaking blood,
Caked with guts rather than mud?
Another face among the dead,
Cut in half, middle shredded,
Friends of his walking in shock,
Injured from an explosion not block.
That night I sat thinking,
Many things I was contemplating,
The world, life, God and me,
How life could end so shortly.
--Jimmy Li
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July Night Blue

Why that feeling of apathy,
Of callousness and I even say lonely?
I believe in a living faith,
That saves us past the grave,
Even as darkness surrounds me,
Evil sins, lusts and adultery.

Oh God, why in the military,
This faith, always so lonely?
The vile talks of women,
The vulgar words and cussing.
Surviving the Walk is quite a trip,
Two desires clashes and rip.

I ask oh God to thrive,
That not only my faith survive,
But beat strongly alive,
Sanctified and revived.

Oh what else left to say?
To you alone I pray.
You alone who plans my day,
Lead me not astray.
--Jimmy Li

A Boy Named Sajot

I met him first day in,
Iraqi boy English he was speaking,
Compared to the English of the rest,
He simply spoke the best.
Intrigued and curious,
I moved closer and more serious.
The kid was really good,
He should get out of this hood,
Humble with sad eyes but smart,
Early on he caught my heart.

As a Marine in Al Hayy,
Local police station was where we stayed,
Outside Iraqis look with interest,
Always with wonder and curious.
At first the boy sold us food,
All kinds of Iraqi food.
He captivated me because he was humble,
Compare to the rest of the jumbo.

He became a friend and a guide,
Trusted and whom we relied,
We bought him along in town,
Leading us all around.
Once some guys picked on him,
I send some signal to them,
My Ka-bar unsheathed was enough,
That boy, no one was going to rough.

He gave me a coin one day,
"To remember me," he did say.
I thanked him quite a bit,
Before I put it in my pocket.
But little did anyone know,
That soon we had to go.

I told him the night before leaving,
"I'll be gone by morning."
In a strange weird catch,
This boy I was now attached.
What a shock and a surprise,
To look into his eyes!
He got mad and yelled why,
Angrily puffing he sighed,
My throat was tied,
When he started to cry.
I told him he will have friends,
Even more Marine friends.
I felt sad myself too,
But what am I to do?

Next morning I saw him still,
Walked up, gave a dollar bill,
And a sealed envelope too,
I said, "Its for you,"
This is in memory of me,"
The ones Iraqis called "Bruce" Li.

What can I give that last,
That's worthy when time past?
So much that is temporal,
But not so with the Gospel.
In a letter and some tracts,
That shared eternal facts,
I shared to a boy I've never forgot,
An Iraqi boy by the name of Sajot.

God bless you, wherever you are
--Jimmy Li

A Prayer About 'Akra'

Lord,
I want to honor you always,
To serve you the greatest ways.
Yet at times I fall short,
Sadly I have to report.

Lord, I'm sober from anger right now,
I think of weeks ago and wow,
How anger consumed me,
This is not me normally.

Don't believe it would ever happen,
That I might need Anger Management.
In Iraq I cannot deny,
In anger I have sinned, no lie.

Lord, I repent in your presence,
Forgive my anger and violence,
I ask that your Spirit reign,
This anger, I disdain.
--Jimmy Li

Dare Angel About Christ

If pictures are worth a thousand word,
What value is God's Word?
What price for the gospel to be heard,
Your life's the price tag, is that absurd?

If someone comes to Christ,
Cause you dare despite the price,
God's grace you realize,
Is it worth the sacrifice?

What if the world sees you foolish,
Sees what you are doing as dangerous,
Mocks your devotion as childish,
To serve Jesus would you still relish?

I'll be a Dare Angel For Christ.
--Jimmy Li

Babylon's Throne

Babylon.
It is all now in ruin.
A great city gone,
Once great, now marooned.

The Bible.
God's truth for many.
Sin against Him expect triple,
Like some ancient city.

I stand admiring the palace,
Staring at an in scripted stone,
Thoughts on Babylon's malice,
Awe at Nebuchadnezzar's throne.

History.
Against the Word of God?
Or History is His story?
I find that the first as odd,
I'm standing at Babylon's throne.
--Jimmy Li

Forged In Iraq

If Iraq ever has its misery,
And I focus short-sighted on me,
Lord, do give me a reminder,
The eternal picture is finer.

May the hairdryer wind,
The endless dirt that descend,
Somehow forge me among men,
To be a stronger Christian.

Lord, forge me to be strong,
Stand for truth and not wrong,
God, that is what I long,
And a light to those I'm among.
I want to be forged for you God.
--Jimmy Li
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Highway Seven

At two AM the night was dead,
Iraqi highway seven we're headed,
The long drive some have dreaded,
Somehow I eagerly wanted.

Pasting through towns we've been before,
Though no one on the streets to wave anymore,
For people are asleep behind closed door,
We are leaving, yes, we the Marine Corps.

I wonder if I carry any legacy,
Those moments to share Christ mercy,
To Marines and Iraqi,
With tracts and Bible study.

Seems like we would never leave,
To be home the idea barely conceived,
Thoughts of violence I grieved,
Yet difference made I believed.
Lord, I pray You did use me.
--Jimmy Li
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Kuwaiti Worship

Sometimes I don't know what to make of the desert.
Hot, burning, winds of sand and dirt.
How this dry place is also so spiritually dry,
Some dark oppression always by,
With miles of vast emptiness.

Miles of nothing around,
How infantry marines could feel so down,
Yet with the desert vastness,
I tried reflecting God's vastness.

This region so dead physically,
Not only that but spiritually.
Yet this region so ironically,
Is the root of Biblical history.

I look at the moon's redness,
Paralleling to this place's bloodlines,
Christ sparing me from seeing it all,
Some glimpse was enough of what I saw.

Again I reflected on the red moon,
Evil men and their eventual ruin,
Yet the God of Justice has mercy,
Salvation through Christ death so bloody.

Why a God more vast than the desert,
Compare to me I'm not even a speck of dirt,
Sacrifice His Son the blood more red than the moon,
To save me from being eternally marooned?
Oh, the richness of His love and mercy.
--Jimmy Li
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Goodbye Middle East

Lord, I feel often detached from home,
Like Iraqi towns I rather roam.
How it seems far and unreal,
Unreachable like the taste of a Big Mac meal.

Yet here I sit now comfortably,
The enviorment has changed so dramatically,
On a plane greeted by smiles of stewardess,
Instead of harm or dangerousness.

Simple joy worth knowing:
Heading home we are going!
I thank the Lord that this time has come,
Five months Middle East is done.

How eager many is to depart,
Kuwaiti airport where we first start,
The desire to go home of my brethren,
I pray someday is as intense to go to heaven.
--Jimmy Li