If I Were An Open Book

by Lou Marin

November 11th, 2005.

“Private Simmons!”
“Present Sir!”
“Private First Class Jones!”
“Present Sir!”
The names rolled forth
across the parade ground
on a still warm November Day.

“Alpha Company,
all present and accounted for!”
“Bravo,” “Charlie,” “Delta.”
and so it went,
through a warm and foggy
fall morning.

The 164th Infantry Division,
line up to practice
for an 11 a.m. parade
past the gleaming white
state capitol building.

A moment of silence for
a North Dakota native,
killed in Iraq.
He went to school
with three members
of the division.

Somewhere in that hell
called Iraq
where Americans fight,
kill, and die,
he gave all he had

For something
his countrymen
are questioning.
Pray and remember him
when you wear the poppy.

If I were an open book,
I would be
The Book of Life,
photo album,
that holds a picture
of this young man
in his service dress.

A picture of a fallen hero,
bracketed by
a death announcement
and a crushed red flower.
Services to be held
in New Salem, North Dakota;
19 November 2005.

_________________________________

Lou Marin, a Christian grateful for Jesus’ gift to him, was born and raised in the western hills of Maine, then spent 20 plus years wandering the country and world in the United States Air Force. Maine Department of American Legion’s Historian, he is a photographer and stringer for The Maine Trust for Local News, published poet and short story writer who pens faith based devotionals. He lives in Rumford, Maine. He is author of an anthology of poems based upon his military career entitled “Dimly Seen Through The Mists,” and a book of faith based poems entitled “My Lighthouse In Troubled Times,” available through Pen It! Publications.

Lou can be reached at mbsphotog@yahoo.com or his Facebook Page.