Foster’s Hour of Decision

Last week Vicksburg Daily News introduced readers to 85-year-old Dongieux Foster, a lifelong resident of Satartia with amazing experiences to share and who never gave up his dream of being a published writer.

When Foster wrote “Hour of Decision”, he was a single, 27-year-old soldier and the world was in the midst of the Cold War.

He recalled, “The French were trying to stop the spread of Communism in Vietnam where we were destined to be soon, and still the middle East was boiling and every time we went on alert we wondered if we would ever return.”

He said, “The entire United States was filled with fear and knew that one wrong decision could bring about the total destruction of not only the United States but Russia, too. People were building bomb shelters and doing drills, getting ready to be destroyed by atomic bombs.”

Foster remembers how difficult and scary the times were for civilians, but point out the boys on the front lines were under much greater tensions and of course, were never noticed.

The following is what Foster wrote during that height of worldwide uncertainty.

In the darkest hour of decision

when minds seek the truth to know

when hope seems so far away

and danger seems to grow and grow

when tensions reaches it’s highest peak

and words flow strong and fast

when destruction shows its ugly face

from every crevice, wearing every mask

walking over the land we dearly love

sailing on the sea so deep and blue

flying through the windswept skies

that’s why I ask this question who

who is there on this earth today

that knows the answer to blessed peace

who is there to rest our weary minds

is there not one who can cause our fears to cease

where are the words of assurance we seek

where is the hand to calm our trembling soul

is there none that can help us now

to lift this blanket of darkness so cold

Nay, no ruler here on earth can stop

the slowly falling hand of fate

no king or servant great or small

can stop this growth of human hate

then is there no hope at all

to live a peaceful happy life again

is all our hopes and dreams to be a farce

must all our earnest efforts be in vain

can we not walk this road of life

together in peaceful joy and harmony

can we not walk hand in hand

and stave off this naked hour of destiny

there is no solution here on earth

where the desires of the flesh rule the mind

for the answer to our hopes and prayers

we must seek the creator of all mankind

the fountain of all wisdom and truth

as recorded in that wonderful book of love

yes the answer to this darkest hour of need

can only come from GOD above