Pelican Dispatch - Spring 2010 - Keep Trees

Son of a preacher
findS time to rhyme
Continued from page 5
Spc. Shanesel Dawson hands out goodies to the Soldiers before they head out on their mission. Dawson receives most of his goodies from AnySoldiers.com and various
churches in Louisiana. Photo: Sgt. 1st Class Thomas Benoit
Dawson teaches Sunday school and
holds a devotional every Wednesday night.
He is also the company’s subject matter
expert on warrior resiliency training.
“I get a lot of help from Capt. Myron
Johnson, the 264th CSSB chaplain,” said
Dawson. “I work under Johnson as the lay
leader; I received his blessing to be our company
spiritual adviser under his tutelage. He
is also my mentor.”
At times Dawson feels overwhelmed by his
responsibilities, but he follows his own advice
from a rhyme he created to help others.
It goes, “Keep chopping and the tree will
fall, and you will be done in no time at all.
But make sure your focus be…more on the
chop than the tree.”
The award-winning poet, Lloyd King,
sent a note to Dawson commenting on his
poem “Grow.”
“I shall forever keep in mind the ending
comment in Spc. Dawson’s poem, ‘to be
living and not growing is to be dead.’ The
impact of these words still whirls about in
my mind like the vortex of a tornado.
“Thank you Spc. Dawson for reminding
me to awaken and reminding me to continue
to ‘Grow,’” said King.
Spring 2010 / Louisiana National Guard 17