I Came To The Vietnam Wall
Hello Wall, I've come to visit.
I traveled hundreds of miles
To see how I would feel inside.
I come cold, hard, and unfeeling
Just as war made me.
I come to look upon your cold,
Black face.
To see the names of 58,000
Young men,
All comrades of mine.
I see the rice paddies and the jungles.
I remember the battles of Khe Sanh
And Hamburger Hill.
I hear the screams of Pain & Agony
As a comrade falls,
His legs torn off by a shell.
I hear the whirl of a helicopter,
The screams for Medic over here.
I smell the stench of death
And destruction,
As though I were there again.
Not to mention the look
On a young Vietnamese Child
As its family is blown to Hell.
Will your thirst never be quenched?
If so, then why? Lebanon, El Salvador,
Desert Storm, and all the others.
And even as I stand here
(My image reflecting in your face),
You tear my heart and soul from me.
Copyright© TXV680503 3-6-95 By David E. Underhill,
All Rights Reserved
The Vietnam Wall
Hello! Yes, I am The Wall. You have heard of me I am
sure,
You may have even contributed to my being.
I was built through contributions from our veterans,
From all across The Great United States,
To honor those who served and died in Vietnam.
Did you know I am 500 feet long,
Reflecting the longest war in our nation's history?
I have 140 separate panels, each for a particular time
In the history of that tragic war.
I am 10 feet tall at my tallest point,
Just as our fine young men felt tall as they answered
Our nation's call.
Less than a foot at my lowest,
Reflecting the feeling of our nation
For sending them.
I am made of Black Granite,
Black for the dark pages of history I reveal.
Granite for the strength and courage of 3,300,000
servicemen
Who answered their country's call.
And yes, part of me is buried
Just as over 58,000
Young men are whose names appear on my face.
Yes, I stand here Tall, Dark, and Majestic. But I
stand not alone.
I am visited each day by tens, hundreds, yes, even
thousands,
Who in some way are touched by my cause.
Families stand before me, with thoughts of that special
one they loved.
Some bring tokens of rememberance, others flowers and
letters,
While still others bow their heads in prayer.
But whatever their reaction, they all seem to have one
thing in common.
They ask, "Why, Wall?"
I try to assure them, that perhaps it was not in
vain.
That perhaps there was a reason, not yet revealed.
But that if for no other, then I am here
As a reminder, Not to let it happen again.
Copyright© TX3270302 3-9-92 By David E. Underhill,
All Rights Reserved
This page was requested by Douglas' cousin, David
Underhill, davide2@kih.net
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