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Contributor: Gary Jacobson || Poem Categories

Spirits in the Wind country as flag

Spirits in the Wind (painting of the Vietnam War Memorial)

Talk to the wall...
Touch it, with heartfelt tears after all
In soft stillness of peace enthrall
Reach out,
Reach through sacred silence all about
Touch the shadowed inner man
Caress in fondness, finally understand
His ethereal manifestation
Revered spiritual incarnation
Feel their spirits lingering in the wind
Feel a brother's hand
On your shoulder friend.

Put a red rose under a buddies name...
Feeling guilt in sobered shame
Lean your head against that holy bier
Rivers of tears your weeping heart sear,
Whisper the ageless question why
Unashamedly cry
Why did you live and he have to die?
Why did a brother have to taste of death
A valiant soldier's life blood dearth
Brave the warrior's final heroic breath?

Feel their spirits lingering in the wind
Their sacred message tend
Spread to all the world to send
As you wonder with wearied guilt
Comfort pouring over you like water spilt
Feel the spirits of courageous men
Which writers pen.
Brothers who suffered hard knocks
In war's staggering din...
Now of life bereft
For whom a nation wept
As hot days in "the Nam" you recall
Touch blackened granite covering honored
Battalions all.
Why is your name not beside brothers
Etched on that honored wall?

Feel their spirits lingering in the wind
Emotions from "the world" transcend
The very air breathes honors to all
Reverently touch the black cloaked pall
That special place on the consecrated wall
Battle again those who rights of others rend
Another's freedoms with your life defend
Extend a hand to the downtrodden
Once more in honor to lend
On buddies guarding your back
Again depend.
Once again mingle
With brothers to the manner born
For days of grandest horror mourn.

Feel their spirits lingering in the wind
Comrades until time itself does end
United again in a moment of holy sacrament
To fight for right self evident
To stand for freedom again
Again to righteously defend!
Spirit and soul with brothers attend
Ministering spirits of light and darkness
Gather round the warrior host's essence
An old soldier's heart to the wall commend
As spirits of warrior brothers blend.
By Gary Jacobson
Copyright 2000
Listed October 12, 2010

 

About Author... In 1966-67, Gary Jacobson served with B Co 2nd/7th 1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam as a combat infantryman and is the recipient of the Purple Heart.

Gary, who resides in Idaho writes stories he hopes are never forgotten, perhaps compelled by a Vietnamese legend that says, "All poets are full of silver threads that rise inside them as the moon grows large." So Gary says he writes because "It is that these silver threads are words poking at me � I must let them out. I must! I write for my brothers who cannot bear to talk of what they've seen and to educate those who haven't the foggiest idea about the effect that the horrors of war have on boys-next-door."

Visit Gary Jacobson's site for more information

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