The soldier in the frame on the wall
hanging in my grandmother’s hall
had no chance to prove his bravery.
When he stepped into the war,
unseen shells erupted at his feet
and flung him in contradictory directions.
Helpless among simultaneous concussions,
he knew no enemy but chaos.
Explosions churned the battlefield
and buried him beneath the earth.
Mouth and ears packed with dirt,
too stunned to wonder,
he savored the reprieve of the grave.
Even then the barrage found and resurrected his body,
tossed him against a dim sun
and dropped him back to earth.
In the sudden silence afterwards
he stood on trembling, lamb-like legs,
his flesh miraculously intact,
his mind shredded into tattered smoke
the wind would never blow away.
The soldier on the wall
hanging in my grandmother’s hall
peers from his tilted frame
with a puzzled innocence.
He’d seen things so much simpler then,
life or death,
no in between.
You speak of life in general for so many go through life wondering what happened.
Beautiful David, how many of us have found ourselves in a personal "war" of our own... only to rise again "flung in contradictory directions." I could write a lot, but I see the picture.
His carcass is not buried yet! yet the imagery permeates even the thickest collision of starfish shoals.
I revelled in the reading of this inspired poem. Soldier of the Wall stands on its own for this gifted and unique poet.
Cheers
Alain
Reviewed by Andre Bendavi Benyehu (Reader)
Reviewed on January 14, 2009
An inspiring and stmulating composition... A glowing poem.
Such a good tribute to that soldier. It is always good to have memories with a photo on the wall too. You will never forget them. I hope I have taken this poem in its context. It is quite expounding in words and needing to be absorbed actually.
I read your bio and it sounds like we have followed a similar path through life. Was that solider on the wall you? This poem reminded me of one of the field radio operators in my unit. He had a grenade blow up at his feet the first day in Vietnam. He spent the next six months in a hospital ship undergoing surgeries. When he was released, they sent him back to Chu Lei to finish his tour. By that time we had an underground bunker for our battalion radio, so we had him sleep under the stout, sturdy radio bench in that underground bunker his last few weeks and took turns going out and getting food for him. We made sure he didn't leave that bunker until the day he returned to the States. He told us that there was so much shrapnel left in him that couldn't be removed, he would have to have blood tests for the rest of his live very six months.
This poem could have been written by any of the thousands Veterans or those that never returned home.
The author grabs the very essence that old soldier know too well.
Georg
Reviewed by Deborah Munson (Reader)
Reviewed on July 4, 2008
I love reading your work. Its always so eloquently and powerfully penned. This one is no exception. Wonderful indeed! Well Done, Deborah.
Powerful, thought provoking...excellent work. You are able to touch people...to make them feel, with a unique style that's all your own. You never disappoint.
I hate to repeat myself, David, but you write so damn well.
A powerful work, in execution and content. How many are victims
of events they don't understand...who knew no enemy but chaos.
I never cease to be impressed by the incredible talent gathered
here at the Den. -gene.
Welcome!
The poems in this beautifully bound book are a result of over twenty years of observations. Observations of the world around us and on the telecommunications network. All of the hate, love, heroism, disasters, and those who help.
Beautif
Robin Ouzman Hislop's poetry is certainly in dialogue with some of the key architects of the 'poetics of indeterminacy' – both the Modernist strands represented by the likes of Beckett and Stein, and the postmodernist strands represented, initially,
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Beautiful David, how many of us have found ourselves in a personal "war" of our own... only to rise again "flung in contradictory directions." I could write a lot, but I see the picture.
Thank you
Lily
I revelled in the reading of this inspired poem. Soldier of the Wall stands on its own for this gifted and unique poet.
Cheers
Alain
An inspiring and stmulating composition... A glowing poem.
I salute You, Poet.
Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU
The author grabs the very essence that old soldier know too well.
Georg
Poignantly written. Unforgetable. --Charlie
A powerful work, in execution and content. How many are victims
of events they don't understand...who knew no enemy but chaos.
I never cease to be impressed by the incredible talent gathered
here at the Den. -gene.
Peace,
Dan