Al Winans and Jack Micheline, Bernal Heights, San Francisco.
Poem For An Unknown Soldier
Now just a fading memory
on a blood drenched beach
in Normandy
flies buzz around you
a sand crab feasts
on an open wound
Eighteen to young to drink
but old enough to die
faded memories relived once a year
like old time religion
like old time religion
no more war for you
no more dreams
no more dreams
no lover to hold in your arms
no family to embrace you
no friends to break bread with
your youth consumed spit-out
no family to embrace you
no friends to break bread with
your youth consumed spit-out
in the stink hole of the
immaculate war machine
your home an invisible grave where
you can’t hear the crying over the
counting of the money
counting of the money
on Wall Street
is there life after death
or does the mind become an atom
take residence in the black hole?
take residence in the black hole?
back home there are baseball games
hot dogs and beer
the singing of the National Anthem
hot dogs and beer
the singing of the National Anthem
families will gather around a barbecue
cats purr dogs wag their tail
cats purr dogs wag their tail
boot camps turn out new recruits
for new wars
your reward duty to the master
a folded flag for next of kin
a grave at Arlington Cemetery
where worms feast at your bones
