The Wall

Maybe those who believe
A piece of your soul
Is stolen with each photograph taken
Are right

Reflecting back over the years,
Looking at her tortured face
In that static image,
I wonder. I hope not, for my sake.

Hard to contemplate so many stolen moments
Pieces of others’ lives captured
By my lenses, the films’ emulsion
Now sitting in dust covered albums, yellowed envelopes and crooked frames

She stood hunched over, frozen
Jaw clenched and hands knitted,
Holding or hugging herself
Against her chill that July.
Paralyzed by her private pain
Writ large there in public, on the Mall
Countless others had and have since
Faced their own demons
In that monument’s polished black marble
(I have seen them)

For twenty minutes or a little less
I watched her pilgrimage, her prayer
A stranger motionless that stopped me
That held my attention
And the camera’s gaze before me.
Me a voyeur, an intruder, an unwelcome confidant.

She stood too near the names
To turn away;
But her feet and legs
Couldn’t carry her slight frame forward
To touch the past
The walkway before her still,
I imagine, never to be breached.

=====

edited September 9, 2015

The Wall – v6

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-wall-v6.html

(editing original)

edited July 27, 2015

The Wall – v5

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-wall-v5.html

(editing original)

edited March 23, 2015

The Wall – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-wall-v4.html

(editing originalagain)

edited November 11, 2014

The Wall – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-wall-v3.html

edited May 28, 2014

The Wall – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-wall-v2.html

posted February 14, 2004

The Wall

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/wall.html

June 22, 2001

===

edited May 27, 2014

“In the Rain, in that Place – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/in-rain-in-that-place-v2_27.html

edited May 26, 2014

“In the Rain, in that Place – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/in-rain-in-that-place-v2.html

Memorial Day

November 11, 2010

“In the Rain, in that Place”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2010/11/in-rain-in-that-place.html

Veteran’s Day 2010

and remembering being

at the Vietnam Memorial

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

www.vvmf.org

during the 10^th anniversary

Veteran’s Day 1992

&

edited May 27, 2014

Left at the Wall – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/left-at-wall-v3.html

Edited May 26, 2014

Left at the Wall – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/left-at-wall-v2.html

Memorial Day

August 5, 2006 18:05

Left at the Wall

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/08/left-at-wall.html

&

All of my Veteran’s Day poems

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Veteran%E2%80%99s%20Day

&

All of my Memorial Day poems

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/search/label/Memorial%20Day

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 42,390+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.