2025/Jude-32069

"Jude's Backpack" Black letters on a bright yellow rucksack,

so bright it almost hurts your eyes,

a gift and a quip for an angry mom tired of her boy losing all his stuff at airports and rest stops across the U.S.

In her mind, we had already lost our home; We couldn’t risk anything else.

“Jude’s Backpack: ” filled with missing pencils and messy paper,

school work due to a teacher left in yesterday’s rearview mirror.

Some schools know what it's like, others don’t.

Some people will help you along, others won’t.

Honor roll means more at your 3rd school in 3 years.

“Jude’s Backpack” has eyes red from 4 AM flights and long hauls.

They’ve seen Jet lag, and tears, realizing fears, that you’re really truly leaving.

Layovers and last goodbyes, how time flies when you don’t want it to go.

Turned and tossed, it’s easy to get lost, caught in the riptide of military mandates,

When you wash up on a distant shore, still unsure, if you’ll ever be anchored again.

“Jude’s Backpack” sticks out in a crowd.

Opening Ceremony: Bright yellow bag, in a sea of black packs.

MFLACs and orientations, ice breakers and interest stations,

Finding you’re footing in the foreign familiarity of new old friends.

Hard at the start, but it softens your heart, to think somehow this could be a home.

“Jude’s Backpack” is pinned with a purple ribbon,

Color of Dodea, a Military child through and through.

Knows the hardship, and loves the community.

Willing to fight for what’s true, and hopes you will too.

That’s my backpack, it’s Jude’s.