David Walker Poet Free verse

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My Brothers Boots

My Brothers Boots 
David J Walker
(3/19/74)

They opened him
And closed him
And told him to go home a
And wait

I was a soldier then
I took leave to come home
And be with him

We talked about the army
And he gave me his jump boots
Thirteen years old
But still shined
With a little spit and kiwi

In Germany
I wore them on guard duty
The midnight street lamp
Glowed a halo
On the mirrored toes
And I walked as if
Each step might be their last

A letter came
A week after the funeral

I spit-shined his boots
Naturally
And carefully laced and tied them
As I had always remembered them
And put them in a box
In the bottom of my 
Footlocker
To rest

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Heidi Sands February 9, 2021 at 6:39 AM This meaningful poem really reaches the heart David. Well written. Bless you :) David Walker February 9, 2021 at 9:46 AM Thank you, Heidi. Written long ago while I was a young man in uniform