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Dog Tags

Dog Tags
By David J Walker
 
My Dog-tags remain
chained
Still hanging
On a hook inside my
Closet door

For years now
The same 
Except for the occasions  that
Remind me of why I
Wore them
And
Why I still keep them

With my
Last name first
First name last
Middle initial
Service number
Blood type
And religion

Everything one needs to
Know
To get me back home

The tinny tinkling
Sound
Of them around my
Neck
As I walk

The P-38 C-Rations
Can opener that every
Experienced soldier regarded as
Essential

Well

My Dog-tags were

Essential
For three years
And thereafter  only on
Special occasions that I needed to
Feel them clanking between my
Shirt and skin

Before then
From my middle years 
I could only 
remember
                    And remember
     And remember

For so many years 
The memories 
Would not stop
Would not fade
Would not go away
As each would invade 
My every day
                    Every day
Every day

But the 
Abacus 
Keeps count 
as the days turn into
Years 
And 
A metamorphosis occurs 
 
Perspective 
Has not made me necessarily 
wise
Though perhaps 
Gracious  and 
thoughtful 

when I finally realize
the enemy wore
dog tags too

And  now 
As I am old 
I can hold them 
we can be friends 

the kind that
after many years 
finds reasons to
laugh again


so
It’s ok with me
If my Dog-tags rest
Upon my chest
and
They may be helpful to
Explain
Who I was
As I’m taken back home
Again

Copyright © | Year Posted 2020




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Date: 11/11/2020 11:29:00 AM
I like the way you wrote this :)
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Walker Avatar
David Walker
Date: 11/11/2020 3:18:00 PM
Thank you, Susan. Much appreciated

Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry