The Albatross- September 2026

Welcome back to another edition of The Albatross. 

I’d like to begin this post with a wonderful piece of writing we received this month. 

“My Country Is” 

By: Larry Quinn

My country is a rainbow of colors and hues

A masterful palette, whatever you choose

Some may try to paint me just red, or just blue

They’re missing the picture our forefather’s drew. 

My country’s a diamond, a spectrum of light

Meant for all colors to blend and unite

It takes understanding for Black to be White

No lines of division, no wrong or no right. 

My country’s a journey through unchartered land

Where no-one’s excluded from taking a stand

Though we must step lightly in making our case

So the visions of others still have a place

My country’s a challenge to ways of the past

Where common men struggle to

Freedom, at last. 

I live in a nation still finding it’s way

Through right of dissention

A Vote—Yea or Nay. 

I’m sure we all have our own thoughts on politics, especially given the state of the world today. I don’t want to create a space where we fall into disagreement or division. But I do want to acknowledge the depth of Mr. Quinn’s words. He wrote a wonderfully thoughtful poem about what it means to take a stand in a country that was founded on the principles of freedom. How interesting it is that freedom has taken on different meanings over time. But also how important it is to value each other’s right to freedom. Freedom to speak, freedom to express yourself, freedom to choose the life you wish to live. For all the faults of our country, we have to all admit we live in a place full of freedoms regardless of the path that freedom can lead us on. 

Chime in on the comments if you have any thoughts! I’d love to grow this blog over time to start sharing some thoughts and reflections if a piece moves you or not. 

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A quick note: September is Suicide Prevention Month for Veterans. Let’s be mindful the remainder of this month and do our part to speak up for ourselves and each other. If you need resources, please know you can always find someone to help. 

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September also marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that rocked our nation. 

I’d love to see some pieces to showcase for next month on where you were, or what you were feeling during that time if anyone is willing to share. Personally I (the writer of this blog) was an elementary school child when it happened, but I still remember vividly the footage from every channel on the the tv. The way my community in a small town of Arizona came together and sang songs about being a patriot and how there was a very real feeling of fear for what was going to happen next. If nothing else, I’d just like to leave this post with a plea to take a moment today to think back to that day 25 years ago and try to remember what all you can from back then. And if you feel so moved to write it down, whether it be in a journal entry or a more creative piece of writing, please do! You don’t even need to feel obligated to share your words unless you want to. I firmly believe that writing is a very therapeutic practice and can do a lot of good if given the chance. 

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If you’d like to see any of your art or writing featured on The Albatross, please send your original work to info@djdfoundation.org

Thank you all for your dedicated audience and for all of your help in growing this platform. We couldn’t do what we do without each and every one of you. 

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See you in October! 

August Reflections

 Hello everyone! I hope you all have had a relaxing summer. I also hope that the recent fires didn’t negatively impact anyone. It’s just another sobering realization of our home and this desert life we have all chosen for ourselves but it can get pretty scary pretty fast! 

I have noticed in recent months our small readership has been dwindling. Let me take a moment to thank those of you who remain here with us. If you feel so inclined, please consider sharing this page with a friend! And as always, if you have any writings or art you’d like to see published on this medium please send it along to the officials at info@djdfoundation.org. 

This summer has been a slow moving one, at least to me. Maybe it’s the summer heat that makes it feel that way. Do you all enjoy the summertime? Does the heat get you down or do you relish in those summer evenings and early mornings before the mighty sun gets too extreme? I want to hear from you so leave a comment if you’d like! 

With all the goings on in our community lately, we have had another slow month for submissions. But it’s ok! This blog is still pretty brand new and we will get to where we want to be with patience and perseverance.

Just like the previous blog post, I thought it would be nice to revisit some writings form an older edition of the Albatross. Please take your time looking over the following pages full of wonderful writings from our veteran friends and stay tuned for the future for more wonderful works! 

Submit your writings and art to info@djdfoundation.org! 

Have a great rest of this summer and stay tuned for September’s issue! 

 

July Reflections & Independence Day

Hello and welcome back for another posting to The Albatross! Stay tuned for another posting in the next week or two to make up for some lost time. Stick with us faithful readers as we work hard on building this community up! 

We’ve had a slower month recently but that’s ok! We’re hopeful for many more wonderful months with lots of great writing and art to showcase. 

Remember: If you or someone you know have something they would like to have published on this blog, you can send it to info@djdfoundation.org. 

And as always, thank you to everyone who reads and helps in anyway they can. 

Every effort helps create this space for our veterans and we couldn’t do what we do without you all! 

I wanted to reflect a little on Independence Day. 

Every year, our nation celebrates the day with firework shows, parades, family gatherings and BBQ’s and moments for looking backwards. 

Generations and generations of military members and veterans have sacrificed so much so that we could live the way we do. 

Love it or hate it, it’s a fact that our country was built upon many great people who sacrificed many things for all of us to have the freedoms we have. 

When I think about the all of the freedoms we have been afforded as Americans, the first one that comes to mind is always the freedom of speech. 

The freedom to express ourselves. 

What a wonderful gift it is to be able to say what’s on our mind. To unburden yourself with the simple act of talking it out, or writing it out or putting brush to canvas. 

Whatever your medium may be, we all have been afforded the freedom to express ourselves. 

The David J. Drakulich Foundation believes that creative expression is more than a simple passing hobby. To all of us, it is a way of life but also a way to preserve our history. It’s a way to process the things that are too difficult to hold. Art helps us build community, as we’ve seen at the Foundation countless times. But most importantly, art is a way to ensure that the voices speaking up get to be heard.

We recognize that freedom is not only something we inherit—it is something we continue to exercise. Every poem, painting, journal entry, conversation, and personal story contributes to that freedom by reminding us that every voice has value.

The Albatross was created to honor veteran’s wishes to preserve their right to free speech and to share their authentic stories through art with the world. In the spirit of all of that, I wanted to share some pieces from an older edition of The Albatross from a couple of summers ago. I hope that you enjoy it! 

If you have a story to tell, a poem you've written, artwork you've created, or simply a reflection you've been carrying with you, we hope you'll consider sharing it with our community. Your experiences may resonate with someone who needs to know they are not alone.

Stay tuned for more blog posts!  Submit your work to info@djdfoundation.org. 

June Voices

Welcome to another edition of The Albatross! 

June is a wonderful month for recognizing our veterans. Women’s Veterans Day was June 12, a day in which we honor the generations of women who have served our nation since June 12, 1948, when women were first granted the right to serve as permanent members of the U.S. Armed Forces. We honor all of the members of this vast community and are excited to feature several women artists this month.

This June, we continue our mission of creating space for veterans to share their stories and experiences through art and writing. This post features several powerful works that explore themes of service, memory, resilience, love, loss and healing. 

We are honored to share these voices and visions with our wonderful community.  

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“To a Young Soilder”

By: Jimbo

It's okay that you don't like this version of

you. 

It's okay. 

We all know what it is you're going

through. 

It's okay. 

We've been there where bullets whiz and precision guided munitions 

destroy city blocks and neighborhoods and women and kids. 

It's okay that you feel stuck and isolated 

afraid of the unknown

afraid of being alone. 

It's okay that what you do today will place on you a debt you cannot pay. 

It's okay because we know too when we couldn't get away

and the thanks were worse than hollow

overcome with sorrow

and no hope to see tomorrow. 

It's okay that in time you'll learn to see

yourself with empathy 

and without amnesia

you'll reconcile your wrongs 

and open your arms 

to those young troops that will, too, be

veterans soon.

—

“Store Bought Armor”

Haiku & photo

By Jo Meaghan

Who made your Armor? 

False security

General issue

Armored up

Ready for war. 

Feel secure? 

Hell Yes! 

In spite of Kevlar

Like a vine you curled around

My heart, at first touch. 

Little did we know—

Store bought armor does nothing 

To protect 

Our soul.

“Desert Sea”

Gouache on panel

By: Chuck Kline 

“Peacock Tree”

Colored pencil & micron markers

By: Susan Kinder

“Covered by His Wing” 

Oil on panel

By: Tracey Turner 

Thank you to this month’s contributors! 

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of this month’s artists and writers. Your willingness to share your stories helps strengthen our community and furthers our mission of providing space for veterans’ voices to be heard and expressed through art. 

We couldn’t do this work without you! 

Together, we continue to honor service, foster connection and create opportunities for healing through artistic expression. 

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Submit your work for our next blog post! 

We are always looking for veteran artists to feature in future posts. 

Submit your artwork, poetry, essays, photography or any other creative works to: info@djdfoundation.org

Visit the foundation online at: djdfoundation.org

We look forward to sharing your voice. 

Memorial Day & Honoring Sacrifices

This Memorial Day, we remember Larry Quinn, who envisioned the framework for The Albatross. We are honored to carry forth his vision. We are now accepting submissions for The Albatross Literary and Arts Journal, featuring monthly online publications and an annual print edition. We invite veterans, military family members, and members of the military-connected community to share poetry, stories, essays, reflections, and artwork that explore healing, identity, resilience, and the human experience.

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Trigger warning: Materials may be sensitive to some with some brief mention of suicide and mental health struggles. For veterans in crisis, support is available through the Veteran’s Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.

This month I want to reflect on the meaning behind Memorial Day. It’s a day often marked by flags, ceremony and moments of revered silence. It is a day of remembrance for the men and women who gave their lives in service to our county. It’s also a time to reflect on the harsh realities that can await many veterans after their service has ended. For some, the hardest battles begin after they return home. 

This month we are honored to share a poem by Andrew Creason paired alongside artwork done in collaboration with Larry Dawson. The work speaks honestly about survival, mental struggles and the importance of support systems for those that have served. 

The poem speaks of gratitude for the Reno VA, the Veteran’s Crisis Line and the people who stood beside him during his lowest moments. The poem’s words are raw and unfiltered. They speak of struggle, hopelessness and the darkness in moments where Creason felt alone. Through it all, one message came through loud and clear to this reader: help matters. 

Veterans carry experiences with them that the majority of civilians may never fully understand. Service can leave lasting emotional and psychological wounds that are invisible to the outside world. Conversations do abound about PTSD, depression and suicide and yet the reality is sobering. 

Art is a way for veterans to process their traumas. To tell their stories and to connect with others. Memorial Day reminds us to not only honor those whom we have lost, but those who lost a piece of themselves along the way. Those who did so selflessly. Those who still struggle to this day. 

The helmet artwork at the bottom of this post transforms an object once associated with war into a symbol of expression, healing and survival. Every brushstroke and every line of poetry reminds me that behind every veteran is a story worth hearing. 

Memorial Day asks us to remember sacrifice. I would like to push this a little further and ask us all to show compassion, to listen a little more deeply and to ensure that the veterans in our lives know that they are not alone. This Memorial Day, may we honor the fallen by continuing to care for the living. 

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Hard Helmet for Veteran X 

By: Andrew Creason

I was once so lost

I almost put myself in the ground

If it wasn’t for the Range girls

I wouldn’t be around

Now I keep my feet

planted firmly on the ground

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today

I said hey hey

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today

7 Ropes around my neck

But I’m still here today

Some would say I’m teflon

But my name’s not Don

I can’t believe I just put

half my life in a poem

Multiple calls to Veteran’s crisis line

With suicide on my mind

Helped turn my life around

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today

I said hey hey

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today

After 72 hours in the hospital

I’m starting to to feel more hospitable

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today

I said hey hey

I got to thank the Reno VA

For the help that they gave

Or you wouldn’t hear this poem today.

“Hard Helmet for Veteran X”

Artwork is a collab between Andrew Creason & Larry Dawson

Acrylic on Creason’s military issued helmet

Thank you to our submitters for this month! 

We appreciate your help in sharing our mission and hearing the voices and stories of veterans.

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Share your artwork and writing to be featured on next month’s post! 

Submit to: info@djdfoundation.org

Inside the Northern Nevada Veteran’s Writing Group

The participants of the Northern Nevada Veteran’s Writing Group speak of caregiving, illnesses and adjusting to new realities. They speak of the past and memories of different days, of times locked in their hearts like the deadbolt on a door. No matter the contents of the story, they are met with understanding from everyone in the room. 

“There’s no do-over”, someone gently reminded us that our experiences are real. Telling our stories, especially the very personal ones, is not easy.

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Following are excerpts from one group earlier this year:

*Disclaimer: Names have been anonymized due to lack of clarity on audio file. 

All words and stories of participants have been edited for publication but the words themselves remain the same to honor the veterans who wish to tell their stories. 

Some things may be offensive, triggering or mildly upsetting. 

We would like to remind readers that our duty is to have an empathetic mind and not to seek to change.*

Big Revelation

Speaker 1: I spent 3 years in Italy. 

I was in Naples, Italy…I spent 3 years there working out in the tunnels that were left by Germans. 

Speaker 2: Wow. What did you do in the tunnels? 

Speaker 1: Communication…like I said, I saw a lot of the world. 

It was 1964. I enlisted and I was in for 4 or 5 years. Probably just went over for 5 years…and it never occurred to me [before then] that a check couldn’t write everything. 

That was a big revelation to me at the time. I was going through pretty big changes in itself.

 Decorations

Speaker 1: Winter is approaching. I have made arrangements to have an apartment here and I will not travel in winter weather back to Quincy unless someday is picking me up and driving me back after a few days. 

Speaker 2: Smart. 

Speaker 3: We all know how hard it can be to have health issues. It’s just nice to be all together for a minute. 

Speaker 1: I never thought about decorations, about being decorated in the service of your country. As the holidays approach, I wonder will I ever put decorations on a small Christmas tree again? There’s a possibility of grandchildren being at the house with their dad (their dad being my son). Who will be caregiving for me when I can go home…he will have the house warmed. He takes care of the dog. His daughters in Eugene may be coming at Christmas. 

Decorations hit a chord. Because you always want to have a Christmas tree again. 

We would have ornaments on it, and lights on it. It would create the spirit that puts you into that spirit of Christmastime. Because of the memories in the decorations. 

Thank you for being here and for the people who are listening to us.

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The group finds meaning in simple things, like decorations and the connection between how we decorate for holidays and how our veterans are decorated for their service to our country. 

It’s small moments like that that remind us that the meaning of these groups isn’t about writing; it’s about making sense of experiences that don’t have easy explanations. It’s about being heard without needing to have the right words or phrases. It’s about recognizing that every story has value. 

Participants come for different reasons but they are all navigating their own journeys. 

Together, we create something powerful: a space where stories can be shared, held and honored because even when we find the words are hard to find, if we look around there is always someone who is willing to listen. 

The Stories that Surface

In a quiet room, situated around a humble table, a few brave souls come together every week to tell stories. But the stories don’t always come that easily. 

They arrive carrying shards of memories in their hands and pockets, ready to share with anyone willing to listen. 

At a recent Northern Nevada Veteran’s Writing Group meeting, one participant shared a piece of writing pondering on the group itself and what it meant to him. Another told a story recalling his time spent stationed in Italy (see our upcoming blog post!)

Not every detail is clear but that doesn’t matter. This group teaches us something that we are losing as a society and that is the art of storytelling. What matters is that their stories surface and that we are here to listen. 

Around the table, fellow veterans and supporters gently ask questions to guide more memories out. In the space of the Writing Group, storytelling is being practiced in its most raw form through connection. The group is important because it helps create a place where experiences can be shared without pressure or any expectation. 

For many, the act of remembering is not linear. 

One memory can lead to another like rain falling off a rooftop. “It’s hard to remember everything”, a participant mused once during a group, “but there are things that come back”. And this, is the beating heart of the writing group. 

Not everyone arrives ready to write. Some just come to listen. Some come simply to be present. And all of these options are perfectly fine! 

Over time, stories will take shape. Through conversation, reflection and sometimes eventually, on paper. 

In a world that often asks for quick answers and polished narratives, this space offers something different. Patience. Connection. Storytelling. And the reminder that sometimes the most important stories aren’t the ones told perfectly but that they are the ones that are finally told at all. 

My Monday Family (4/6/26)

As time passes, there are changes to our family. 

There are births, deaths, moves and sadly falling outs. 

This trait happens even to my Monday family. 

In the past year [for example] we had a falling out as two members couldn’t see ‘eye to eye’ and sadly one member left. We miss him. 

Another member received a job offer in another state and moved on. We will miss him too. 

As for deaths, members lost loved ones and we help to ease their pain by listening to their grief over shared words of wisdom. 

We modified our rules so if we get off track and spend too much time on a topic, anyone can call time and we change topics. 

But one thing that has only improved is protecting our mental health. That has only gotten better. 

By: Chuck Kline 

Submit writing and art to the Northern Nevada Veteran’s Writing Project to be featured next!