UNKNOWN SOLDIER
As the caisson rolled past
With the flag draped coffin
Some of the crowd began falling in
Behind it
For the most part, a scruffy bunch
In jeans, T-shirts,
Here and there an old faded field jacket
There were more than a few beards
And hair of a length no longer in vogue
Looking close would reveal one or two
Carrying memories in the way
Of a missing arm or leg
More than one wheelchair
Rolled along
And all carried the memories in their eyes
Terrible eyes to behold
But what you noticed first
Was the silence
Not one said a word
Even the crowd murmurs stopped
And grew quiet as they passed
Walking side by side, some falling
In natural step
The group growing larger as more
Of their kind fell in with them
No word spoken in invitation
Just the natural pull of the remains
Of one of their own
Never meant to be part of the procession
Never a part of the ceremonies
But not to be denied
For he was theirs
He didn’t belong to the politician
Or lifers in green
Who had never walked with him before
Never squatted with him beside a path
To quickly eat motherfuckers and beans
From a cold green can
And had never cried with him in fear of a place
Worse than the most horrifying childhood dreams
Nor stood with him and picked the pieces
Of their best friend from all around a clearing
Scrapping some of him off their own clothes
They had never lain beside him in terror
Firing off clip after clip into the darkness
And screamed the full throated screams
That would awaken those who survived
Night after night, year after year
The politicians and lifers had not been there
To zip him into a body bag to send him back home
But they were here now for his parade
There had been no parade for those
Now following behind
But this would be theirs as well
They would become
The Vietnam Veterans Marching Band
With only the sound echoing in their ears
The sounds, the smells, and the sights
They would carry ever
Now marching on, a few hundred strong
To the end of the procession
Where there were words and speeches
But they heard none of them
The words were not theirs
Words were not enough
Words were not….
The uninvited still stood strong
Silently together
When taps began to play
Some saluted
Some placed their hands over their hearts
But the silence gave way
To soft rustling as tears were wiped away
Then came a sniff or two
And from some the sobs of unabashed anguish
They were burying one of their own
A part of themselves that would never heal
They needed no words
They needed only to finally come home
MFM
MAR 84
ATLANTA, GA
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