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*  This poem was inspired by the court marshall of Lt. William Calley for his 
leadership in the attack on My Lai, Vietnam.  For more info, see 
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/mylai.htm

Lt. Willy on Trial

Tiny warm beads of sweat
Lt. Willy reached up methodically
But the sun-faded green cap
Was gone

His trembling hand icy
Trembling fingers drew the
Initialed white rag from his jacket
Thin, bloodless lips part; he began

“It was silent; evening sun
Succumbed to twilight
A memory reflected by darkening shadows
As firelight distorted my unit’s weary faces

“Rico was city-born, slender and small
The company “spic,”
A name jestfully
Not jeerfully accepted

“Larry’s green eyes faded to grey
In the belt of darkness
Overtaking us
Calmly, ironically

“His letter unfinished
She had wished him luck, and love
But his best friend had been close
And comforting, growing rich with affection

“And, ‘Dear Larry,’
She wished him luck, and love
His eyes swelled
Then subdued, unsurprised

“Dave shuffled ashes with his feet
And the tip of his index finger
As a husky ballpoint
Drew the man, woman,
Birth, death, infinity

“Byproducts of med-school
In the brown earth
And charred remains
Of living wood

“A part of the life they knew
A part they remembered
A part so far, so unreal
So intangible

“Amber firelight changed intensity
And direction
Distorting the drawn expressions
Of my men

“The crisp snap of dried wood
Maybe thirty feet away
Startled, we jumped
Grabbing our guns

“The only natural response
Present in minds
Troubled and tormented
By fear, despair

“Who goes there? Show yourself!
The mask of blackness
Veiled our unknown intruder
As the devil remains hidden

“Surveying fallen souls
Sneering at their ignorance
Defying their struggles
Waiting and laughing

“Terror gnawed away our reason
The enemy?
The hidden foe?
But who, or what?

“Another sharp snap
Fear swelled, faces anxious
Heavy weapons defensively pointed
Until WE snapped

“The shots
The war
The weapons
The reasons

“Aimlessly, pointlessly lashing out
Casting bullets on flesh
As dart on boards
Frenzied spurts of life-ending blood

“It was part of the life we knew
A part we regretted
A part of the life
We long to forget"

Only stillness now
As Lt. Willy pleaded
The snapping ceased, audibly
But echoed in the reply, guilty

Yes, yes
Guilty
Guilty of fear
Guilty of snapping
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