| To all of my "family" that I had spent most of my life with are
and were a part of me from the WW2 era up to Vietnam. Much has been said
of our fallen brethren with many tributes. We have the "Wall" for the Vietnam
era, the new dedication for Korea and now in the "mill" a long waited one
for WW2. There have been poems and other publications for those who have
made the ultimate sacrifice. I know that you and I have shed tears be it
in private or amongst friends to those we have loved and grown to know
them as our own "family". But what about those who survived much has yet
to be said.
This past Monday the 17th of July I met a woman who was also a former Marine back in the early 50's. She had gone with her late husband to see the "Wall" in Washington, D.C. she. As the time past by she sat back and reflected what she had seen in the eyes of her husband who was a Vietnam Vet and many of the others around the wall. Crying physically and silently amongst those present both women as well as men. She then composed this poem. Although it the poem is for Vietnam it is also for all the wars before. She told me that this poem was to be placed on a plaque and installed at all of the Veteran Affairs Hospitals. |
A TRIBUTE TO THE VIETNAM VET
I traveled across our nation to visit the Vietnam Wall,
Read the names, saw the flowers, notes, teddy bears and all,
At the end, I sat on the bench, crying began to reflect
And decided it’s the living Vietnam Vet we need to respect.
I’ve seen the shadows and fear that enters his eyes
When a loud or strange noise passes over in the skies,
Seen gentleness and that same fear when encountering a child
Held him with night-sweats, sometimes fierce, sometimes mild.
He won’t open up; you can hardly get him to talk
About the body scars or why he sometimes limps when he walks.
But, when he does speak, it ‘s with pride in his voice
Sometimes the resentment for those that made the "other choice".
Yes, we owe you a big thank you to those listed on the on the Wall
For they gave their lives; they really gave it their all.
But, for our returning Vets, there were no accolades, no parade
And we owe them our respect, starting this very day.
Mickey Monteverde
1997