Reflections in The Wall...

Poem from a Vietnam Combat Veteran:  Reflections in the Wall.

Reflections in The Wall:

I was drawn to the black granite monolith known as The Wall,

Yet too far to see the names, but close enough to see people weeping.

For a moment, I stopped dead in my tracks: should I continue?  Could I take what I was about to see?

As I approached The Wall, I became smaller, and it became bigger.

Soon, I could see flowers, medals, Rosary beads, letters, and more people weeping…

Now in view were the names that for a time I could not see.

Turning to confront the names, I looked into The Wall…

There were my brothers looking back at me.

As I looked at their reflections, I saw myself standing with them.

Placing my hand on The Wall, I began to shiver as if I had a fever,

But it was a warm, sunny day.

I began to pray for my brothers in The Wall;

Selfishly, I began to pray for myself.

I am getting older by the day, but I’m alive, but those in The Wall are not.

Someday, my name, too, will be on The Wall.

Will anyone come to see me in The Wall?

Gene DeLalla