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Honoring Katie and Sri Benson [1]
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Date: 2022-08-14
Toxic Burn Pit
The following poem honors two people whose personal story (common to too many in our country) became National News for a blip during the signing of the PACT Act by President Biden on August 10, 2022.
Katie and Sri Benson
Kt was a medic in the army,
During a tour in Kuwait
She was exposed to toxins
From a burn pit.
In 2018, Kt was diagnosed
With mesothelioma,
A deadly cancer that forms
In the linings of the lungs,
The stomach, the heart
Or elsewhere.
In February 2020, Kt and Sri,
Her husband of sixteen years,
Ceremoniously renewed their vows --
A joyous occasion,
Despite how sick Kt was.
Kt was a person who wanted
Others to be happy,
She endured experimental treatments
That might not help her
But, with more knowledge gained,
Help others down the road.
Kt died on July 9, 2022
She had hoped to live to see
The PACT Act passed into law,
A Federal law
That would extend VA benefits
To troops
Exposed to toxins as Kt was.
A month later, on August 10, 2022,
The PACT Act was indeed signed into law
During a White House event.
By arrangement of an Oregon Senator,
Jeff Merkley, Sri was invited
To attend the White House ceremony,
Sri took photos of Kt with him
So she could be at the ceremony, too.
During the event Sri met with
President Biden
And they talked about Kt
And of her service and her struggle
Biden viewed Kt's picture and hugged Sri
And spoke some private words
That Sri will keep to himself.
The White House asked Ceremony Attendees
To write a statement on what the event
Meant to them,
If Kt had been there
She might have said,
"Makes me want to strangle,
"The VA a little less…" That was Kt's humor,
Sri will come up with his own words.
This was a brief glimpse
Into the lives of two Americans,
Kt who lost her life due to toxins
While serving her country
And Sri, Kt's husband,
Who stood by her side.
With the passage of the PACT Act,
The United States has taken
An important step in protecting
And standing by all those
Who serve in her military.
Carl Scott Harker ©2022
__________________________________________
My latest book of poetry is now available on Amazon, you can find it here: Lyrics Looking for a Musician.
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