[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2356]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              HOME TO STAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 11, 1999

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share a poem with my 
colleagues that was written by one of my constituents, Stanley 
Karczeuski. Stanley wrote this poem while he was serving aboard the SS 
John Ainsworth during World War II.

                              Home to Stay

     I won't rejoice or boast or brag,
     On that eventful day,
     I'll just thank God I'm still alive,
     And going home to stay.

     I've counted days and months and years,
     Since I have been away,
     But now my counting days are done,
     I'm going home to stay.

     They wanted us to do a job,
     Which was all work, no play,
     And now the job is done, and I
     Am going home to stay.

     There'll be parades for heroes all,
     And services to pray,
     For both those men returning home,
     And those who had to stay.

     It's these thoughts while homeward bound,
     Upon my mind do prey,
     While those who fought and died remain,
     I'm going home to stay.

     So let us all in silence kneel,
     And to our God we pray,
     For lasting peace to those who fell,
     While we go home to stay.

     

                          ____________________