[i wrote this right after my third air-assault in afghan. it was sweaty and dark. a 3 hour mission turned into an 18 hour mission. we ran out of water and food within the first 3 hours. it was over a hundred degrees by 1000 hours and just got hotter. it's amazing what the human body can endure. mf]
trouncing of ignorance
by Matt Freire
in the darkness the round fills the chamber
the ramp drops
a stumble rush through dust the unfamiliar
stimulates my elation
with the juggle of decisions
merchant of death or digital moment taker
not a question
the latter i'm in favor
because i'm the moment taker
focusing fluid drips as
electric synapses spark hands to react
eye catch
finger react
with a snap
souls i catch
each image is a thousand words or so
in choking sand
in undisclosed afghan
i scan the dismal
the beautiful
the unfamiliar mysterious landscape
the pressing heat
fogs my eye pro
the quiet streets wait
white balance off
the weary fatigued steals my box of f-stops
no stopping
still snapping
stills captured
kelvin temperature overwhelming
the scenario looming
boots bleeding
muscles aching
and i wait
waiting
want of imagery waning
then
the heat haze appears
and it illuminates
the passionate fool focuses
the f-stop rises
to match the shutter
speed the dial key
yet too blurred it is
i try to focus
deaf ears keep ringing
and i keep keeping
and my fingers keep framed
the sites worth seeing
so much in view
narrow down i adjust
and like that
it's over
and the bird comes
camera, death stick, and self
now baptized in
dust, sweat, and experience
Photo: (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Matthew Freire / RELEASED)
![[...]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_cw0KlDhKsNM/Sm5xxlWQkJI/AAAAAAAAB3A/2C0t1jCEDPs/S150/matt+chinook+chopper.jpg)
![[on leave]](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_cw0KlDhKsNM/SmkZh3hXBpI/AAAAAAAABzw/RzOKjc4FobE/S230/matt+may+16+2009.jpg)
I guess all the light in the photo you took is only coming from the rockets, etc. Must be a high degree of difficulty. As for your words, you capture the salty frenetic feeling I had running down the ramp into the sand and a fire fight. Thank you for your service.
ReplyDeleteTaking a night photo under the light of rockets and fire is awesome. Your poem captures the salty frenetic feeling I always had running down the ramp with my buddies into the sand. Thank you for your service.
ReplyDeletei love you brother. nice photos.
ReplyDeletehey matt glad to see you are keeping on. stay careful.
ReplyDeletei wrote this right after my third air-assault in afghan. it was sweaty and dark. a 3 hour mission turned into a 18 hour mission. we ran out of water and food within the first 3 hours. it was over a hundred degrees by 1000 hours and just got hotter. its amazing what the human body can endure. thanx for the coments
ReplyDeleteYour Uncle Jim's first response was, "All I can say is ....DAMN!"
ReplyDeleteUncle Steve said of the photo: "That is SO COOL - Great composition and lighting..."
ReplyDeletehey bro post some pictures of what it looks like in the day. Avala can't wait to play with here uncle by the way!
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteThank You for what you are doing, we are very proud of you and that poem was AWESOME. Grandma & Grandpa & Uncle Michael send there love. My family loves and supports you. Most of the world thanks you. Everydy of every moment you are in our hearts and in our prayers. The many sacrifices you are induring we all our proud of we wish you did't have to go through that.
Everyone wants you to stay safe and will enjoy when you are back in the states.
Enough of the mushy stuff, since you are there us and America want you to kick the talabans ass and find Bin Lauden and show him he can't mess with America and get away with it, I heard you got Bin laudens son Thats a good start but we want daddy lauden to pay for the killings of many american and others around this world.
Anyways, Thank you Matt,
Uncle Bob
For Matt
ReplyDeleteHow do we thank all the women and men
Serving to protect this country we live in
How do we let them know that we care
Not one at a time, but all who are there
We don’t do enough to let them know
We need to do more and let it show
For all that they sacrifice in the name of pride
For the country they love – so many have died
Wake up America – listen to the roar
Fly your flags high and let them soar
To the Heavens above and throughout the lands
Let the world know how strong America stands
Thank you everyone for the comments you have sent. Matt is a great person and wonderful son, I appreciate all the support you are giving him.
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteYour photography shows such an artistic eye. They are beautiful and intriguing. I'm glad your parents posted your blog so we could share your talent and experiences.
Stay safe.
The photo is something else. Goes good with what you write. I admire you guys. A lot of people I know are against our fighting the war. I get confused and don't know what to think. You guys are on the hot sands of hell taking the heat while the rest of us in the US argue concerning should we fight or should we not fight, former president this, current president that. And their are a lot of people who hate the military and hate the Army. All this and here are you and your troops fighting and doing what you are told to do and you might stop terrorists from attacking the US again. I don't know. I thank you though for what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteI know your mother. She is very proud of you and also quite nervous. You are a young, handsome man and I am sorry you and other young men and women are in harms way in a very hostile country and climate. I hope you can keep safe in your heart compassion and love as you witness coldness and hatred. You are serving a cause far greater than yourself. I thank you and wish you godspeed.
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteWow, what an amazing photo! Thanks for serving our country - I REALLY appreciate it.
Thank you for serving our country. I admire your courage. From one of your many "Payne" cousins. (Cathy Sturdivant-Santa Maria, CA)
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteSuperb photo.
Hang in there, keep your head and fanny down, take good care of yourself and come home safe.
I'm proud of you,
your Uncle Dave
MIss oyu and love you man, my prayers are with you, and write you mother.... love oyu truly dont get hurt
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteI love and admire your poem and photos. It's clear that your art is a reflection of your experiences. Keep it up.
Love,
Laura, your second cousin in FL.
matt i love you! you are doing something amazing! keep it up.
ReplyDeleteMatt, what can I tell you? I am in a kind of awe at the whole situation.A combination of profound worry and fear coupled with polar opposite feelings of excitement and pride in you. It must be some heady stuff over there! My only wisdom for you is for you and your unit to never forget to watch each others back, watch where you step,and never let the picture take away your awareness of what's around you. Ok? had to say it in spite of having rock solid faith in you and God to see you safe thru this.
ReplyDeleteI love you nephew, how can I be more proud of what you and your generation are considering the train wreck mine comes from? Stay safe, keep us in your heart as you are in ours and we will have a hella party when you get home.
Unka
So much confliction.
ReplyDeleteAmerica wonders how to support her soldiers without sounding pro war.
It's like, hey, you're a great athlete though the Celtics suck and you play for the Celtics, ergo you suck, too. Huh?
Or, I'm a Christian and I love sports and you are an excellent athlete, however, when you play your game and work on sacred Sabbath Sunday you are evil. What?
I love you, you are an American military person, however, you are just a pawn in geo-political machinations, another example of old men sending young men to war and death, so I must consider you evil. Are you kidding me?
We are so out of alingnment.
I will say this, then, suspending my schizoprheina in an effort to harmonize my message to you:
I hate war and weep. You, Matt Freire and your fellow military men and women, did not start this war. Causes and proximate causes, inceptions and origins are too complicated and prone to limiting perspectives and ever arguing opinions, yet the truth is men clothed in terror killed Americans on American soil and continue to plot the death of Americans.
I therefore applaud and thank you for serving America under an oath to follow America's commander-in-chief in the protection of our freedom and land and interests. You have honored that oath of fealty and vigor under two different presidents now and I thank you for your service.
Thank you for your courage and for your willingness to express with your words and your photographs what it is you are seeing and thinking. Experiencing.
Your poem was not sentimental. It was not sensational. It was not ostentatious. No machismo in it. Your poem was an honest, straight forward account, artfully and uniquely expressed, of one man's -- and every man's -- transition from apprentice to journeyman.
But my double mindedness returns:
If I damn the war, am I damning you?
If I praise you, am I praising the war?
If I condone the war, am I.... enough!
You are in Afghanistan. Your cause - our cause - is just. May the innocent see protection and mercy and may the enemy meet justice.
And may you continue to expand your talent and art.
Sincerely,
A Reader of Roger Ebert's Journal
(Roger recommended his readers come to your blog. You can see his recommendation at the bottom of http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/not_how_the_army_would_fight_aliens.html)
Matt, Keep an eye out for my nephew Sgt. Kyle DeLaigle. He is in Afgan. He went to Iraq a couple of years ago. He is my brothers only son. May God bless you and keep you safe. Jim , Enoch Utah
ReplyDeleteHi Matt,
ReplyDeleteYour Dad posted this photo and your poem on hubpages where I got to first see it. He invited us to come directly to your site.
All I can say is that I was deeply touched by your poem as it expresses what you are going through in order to help protect those of us at home. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Your photography is awesome! I got to see the ones you took in Zion and having been there myself and snapping photos...I can truthfully say that you are really talented.
As I told your Dad, I just had an old Canon camera with 35 mm film. I am an amateur for sure compared to you.
Left my hubpage address so you can take a look if you have time. Leave comments if you like. Did you get to see the other national parks in Utah in addition to Zion?
Please take good care of yourself and your buddies over there. I can tell from the comments above that you have a devoted family ready to celebrate when you get back home.
Hi Matt! Your poetry and photography are moving. Thank you for helping to keep us safe. I have a young son and can only imagine the worry your Mother is facing. Take good care and be safe! Your Dad's cousin, Toni Farren Mace
ReplyDeleteMatt,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your service to our country as well as thanks to all of the other soliders that are serving!! May God bless each one of you and keep you safe.
" It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on" (Sun Tzu).
ReplyDeletei thank all for the words posted. it helps,
ReplyDeleteMatt:
ReplyDeleteI am proud of your service. Your photos and writing reflect a keen eye and heart. Dane.
thanks for all your support for our son. it means a lot to us.
ReplyDeleteKim
Matt:
ReplyDeleteThe photo and poem are great. Thanks for all you do. Hang in their, you are in our prayers.
Susie Dabelko
came across roger ebert's blog about the movie "The Hurt Locker" -- about a Army bomb diffuser in Iraq. Great movie. ebert said to check out your block. he said your words were remarkable. he is right. that means a lot coming from ebert 'cause that guy is an amazing writer. any way, it'd be cool if you continued to write and post your stuff.
ReplyDeletegood luck out there.
i will continue to write. it's my way of relaxing and getting a grip what my senses are exposed to. my stress ball is my keyboard. thanx for the support
ReplyDeleteMatt, greetings from California. And thank you for your service to your country and to all of us Americans. We are indeed proud of you. Keep safe. You are in our hearts and in our thoughts and prayers. Neale & Darlene
ReplyDeleteMatt, the poem about youy friend has really touch me. please know that you and all the solders in afghan are in our prayers.
ReplyDeletelove mom
Matt,
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you remember us from Chico...Ann & Scott Struthers? We are so proud of what you are doing for our country, we pray for our military every single night. Why are so many of you anonymous? Your poems and pictures are absolultely AWESOME!! We love you, thank you!
Hey Matt!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you got in touch with me! The email from both you and your mother was heart warming. You really were such a special student, Matt. I really miss seeing your smile around Chico.
I am so impressed with the work you are doing! I always knew you were a gifted writer and now to see your words partnered with such captivating images truly moves me to tears. You have a special gift and an ability to capture raw emotion. I am so glad that the world gets to see how truly talented you are. I always knew it! I am so proud of you! Please keep in touch! We all miss you. - Maya