bridgesitter
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
  The Grave The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors,
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone.
He’s gone.

When the wars of our nation did beckon,
A man barely twenty did answer the calling.
Proud of the trust that he placed in our nation,
He’s gone,
But eternity knows him, and it knows what we’ve done.

And the rain fell like pearls on the leaves of the flowers
Leaving brown, muddy clay where the earth had been dry.
And deep in the trench he waited for hours,
As he held to his rifle and prayed not to die.

But the silence of night was shattered by fire
As guns and grenades blasted sharp through the air.
And one after another his comrades were slaughtered.
In morgue of marines, alone standing there.

He crouched ever lower, ever lower with fear.
"they can’t let me die! they can’t let me die here!
I’ll cover myself with the mud and the earth.
I’ll cover myself! I know I’m not brave!
The earth! the earth! the earth is my grave."

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors,
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone.
He’s gone.

Don McLean
 
Comments:
That's a sad poem. I know life doesn't go on and on, but I always like to think it does.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home
"Though my soul may set in darkness, It will rise in perfect light, I have loved the stars too fondly To be fearful of the night" ~ Sarah Williams

My Photo
Name:
Location: United States

"Necessity is the mother of invention, it is true, but its father is creativity, and knowledge is the midwife." ~ Jonathan Schattke

ARCHIVES
December 2004 / January 2005 / February 2005 / March 2005 / April 2005 / May 2005 / June 2005 / July 2005 / August 2005 / September 2005 / October 2005 / November 2005 / December 2005 / January 2006 / February 2006 / March 2006 / April 2006 / July 2009 /


www.flickr.com
bridgesitter's photos More of bridgesitter's photos

Powered by Blogger