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I am but a name now on a black granite Wall. I am to far away for my
family to come and visit, to have them touch my name and feel the warmth
of their love I have missed so dearly for so many years. My medals hang
on their living room wall…the ribbons have long since faded and the
metals have tarnished, yet I know they are proud of me. I hear my mother
cry at night for me and it breaks my heart to see her in such pain. My
younger brother does not talk about me much because he is afraid….afraid
he will cry over his loss and others will view him as less than a man.
My little sister acts so brave during the day, but at night when it is
dark and she is alone, her tears for me fall. I try to tell them I am
okay, for I feel no pain. There is no war here, no hate, and no sounds
of guns or young soldiers crying for their moms with their last dying
breath. We are all here, those who lost our lives in Vietnam. We have
our arms and legs now that were blown off us by land mines and such, but
we are not able to go anywhere. We have our eyes and we watch the little
children as they approach the Wall. I see the little boy I never got to
have or to take fishing with me. I see the little girl who I never got
to hear call me daddy. I understand in war there must be causalities but
it saddens my heart to know I had to be one of them. I wish I could feel
the warmth of the sun one more time on my face. Yes, I am but a memory
now and all I ask is that you rejoice the years you had me and not mourn
the years I have been gone. We shall meet again someday, you and I. Till
then keep me close in your heart.
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