Reflections On a Wall

Reflections on a Wall From the valley floor A stone arises, Straight walls of polished blackness, In between rolling, grassy knolls Hidden in their cleft – Arms open wide, Welcoming pilgrims Who in pilgrimage approach It’s darkened face, Burdened by their tears Written on a page, Wounded hearts, reopened, In time and from far away In air that hangs so somber, Yet so full, Like incense smoke, Slowly lifting quiet sobs and farewell words Into Heaven’s air Until they meld To final rest upon The fragrant floral tributes, As one clear voice of taps, Bidding youthful souls And mourning hearts be one again Within the granite wellspring bubbling up Like a flame - eternal as the spirit sighs That rest within the stone - Where life reflects back to the living In a visage blank - a void - Through the eyes of death To see in the reflection A mirror framed by silent tears When hands held in mourning Trace the outline of a signature, Remembering the warmth shared In first steps Or love awakening, Then reach out to touch the name Etched into the stone Reviving life, Holding onto a youthful hand outstretched For one brief moment rejoined with life - Two souls touch - Then pulled away into that space That all mortal flesh fears To bid adieu again Across the finite portal into eternity. Reflections on the Vietnam Memorial – Washington DC