Lt. Willy On Trial

* 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