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Memorial Day |
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I heard the creaking of the old iron gate
Looking
around I saw on old lady
Pushing her walker slowly ahead
of her
And hanging from her walker was a wreath of
flowers
She slowly made her way between the rows of
stones
Finally taking the path to the Veterans' spot
It took her awhile to arrive where she wanted to be
She
stopped part way down under the flag waving above
Looking
tenderly at the stones and silently reading every word
She stood for a few minutes with her head bowed
I knew
she was praying, God willing, she would come back next year
Slowly and with an effort, she removed the wreath from the
walker
And just as slowly bent to lay it tenderly upon
the graves
With careful and measured step, she made her
way back to the gate
Quickly I moved to hold it open for
her and as she moved toward her car
Where her driver was
waiting, seemly patiently, I remarked
How much easier it
would be to have someone else lay the wreath
While she
rested in the car and watched them do the honor for her
She told me her husband had been a soldier in World War II
Her two sons were soldiers in Vietnam and her short walk
this Memorial Day
Was nothing compared to the price they
each had already paid. |
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By Faye Sizemore
Copyright 2002
Listed
May 25, 2011 |
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About
Author...
Faye Sizemore makes her home in the beautiful foothills of South Carolina with Grant, the love of her life, as well as three dogs, two cats, two parakeets and four nanny goats. Grant is a Vietnam Veteran having served with the US Marines in 1968-69 and is, of course, Faye's muse. Faye is deeply interested in Veterans' Affairs and Veterans' Causes. She is very proud of Grant and her poetry is an off-shoot of that pride.
Visit
Faye Sizemore's site for more information
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