John Lawless Poet Villanelle

A Soldier's Plight, Memorial Day

A Soldier’s Plight



We move alone surrounded in plain sight
Wanderers in the present, future, past
Invisibly we share a soldier’s plight

A pebble in the vision of their night
A shadow just outside the livings grasp
We move alone surrounded in plain sight

Sad echo of the tin-clad fallen knight
Heroes, adrift in life’s unfeeling lapse, 
Invisibly we share a soldier’s plight

Our eyes cast down, our scarred hands clenching tight
Warriors, still responding to the task,
We move alone surrounded in plain sight

We share the bond of those condemned to fight
Old battles that still haunt their daytime naps
Invisibly we share a soldier’s plight

Our shadows pass with simple nod of kin
Acknowledging, in loneliness, a friend.
We move alone surrounded in plain sight
Invisibly we share a soldier’s plight.



John G. Lawless
5/26/2014

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Deborah Foster August 14, 2015 at 8:42 PM This is not a villanelle. This is a triple villanelle: http://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/a_focus_on_insane_love_699666 This is the defination of a villanelle: http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/poetic-form-villanelle

Sherry Hale May 26, 2015 at 10:36 PM It is good to go here and contemplate what a soldier's ghost might feel. We can't acknowledge him even on Memorial Day, but we can imoralize him in poetry. Thanks for sharing him! S. Hale

Robert Lindley May 26, 2014 at 9:52 AM A beautifully written tribute!!! Directly into my fav it goes!!! John Lawless May 27, 2015 at 7:07 AM Robert, I'm a bit late responding to this comment. It found its way into the Poetrysoup limbo until Sherry commented on it this year. A belated thanks. I had another Memorial Day Poem read at a Memorial Day service by my daughter who just retired. Sadly, taps is still played way too often.