Jan Barry

January 1, 1970

Standing in the rain
In a company formation
Of ramrod-straight strangers—
Flags, salutes, speeches,
“Taps” on a trumpet,
The militant martial air
Trumps the Ten Commandments,
Salutes the sacrifices made to war—
The sons (some daughters)
Who died in killing fields,
None free to say I disagree
With this mission, sir:
Move up, move out—
No talking, silence
In the ranks…
The surviving vets
Standing mute witness
In the rain

--Jan Barry