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Tom Vartabedian
Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as
a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.
Latest posts by Tom Vartabedian (see all)
- Vartabedian: My Final Column - November 13, 2016
- A Hat to Match Any Occasion - October 19, 2016
- More Smiles Keep the Frowns Away - October 12, 2016
I write to complete your article
You are a Man… !’m a Mother
—————————————–
Mothers’ Tears Can’t Dry
Until They Die
Why war exists in happy lands?
In gulfs, in deserts…at mountains highs…
Why mothers should cry for handsome sons?
Cover their graves before they die!
Why! Why! Why! and… endless…whys?
Why mothers’ tomorrows will live in sigh…
We have incessant creations in life.
Why can’t we silence murderers in hive…?
Why should soldiers die?
Mothers will cry; tears will never dry…
Till they reach, where their beats went lie.
Wherever they lay, echoes stay calling . . .why!
Mothers’ losses can’t be replaced
In this known dishonest fiery wild space.
Which chromosome started cruel wars?
Criminal genes rein endless crosses on bays…
The mother beloveds straggled in life.
Homes distorted impossible to revive.
Mothers are mothers wherever they are,
Tears will not dry until they die…!
Sylva Portoian, MD
From poetry collection “Sons Take My Heart and Transplant’ (March 2009)
Beautiful article as usual Tom.
As my 20 year career in the navy comes to an end I think of all my fellow shipmantes that I have not seen or heard from. I wonder how they are and what they are doing. Facebook is a great tool for keeping in touch.
Again, thanks,
Chief Jerikian
My gratitude to both Dr. Sylva Portoian and Mike Jerikian. To Sylva first for the powerful poetry she seems to write for every fitting occasion. You truly outdid yourself with this one commemorting our veteranbs. And to you Mike for your 20 years with the military. You are a credit to the American way. God bless you both and keep you in our midst forever.
On 11/17/12, St John Armenian Church of San Francisco, 275 Olympia Way,
will be holding its Annual Veterans Dinner to honor United States Marine Captain Mathew Patrick Manoukian of Los Altos Hills, California.
Captain Manoukian was killed in action in August, as many of us know.
Please come to our event, and donate to MARSOC Foundation, which helps to care for the families of Marines and Navy Corpsmen killed in action while helping bring peace and dignity to oppressed and innocent Afghan civilians.
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=78d04d8302560ecef66676d78&id=07fc31299e
Please call the Church office at 415.661-1142 by Wednesday November 14, to rsvp. Veterans are admitted free; adults are $ 10.00, children 12 and under
$ 5.00.