a grave in vietnam

By FadedBlues

In Vietnam, there is one grave that I remember.
No headstone, nothing elaborate,
just the common mound of dirt
with a stick pushed into it.

Attached to the stick was the polaroid photo
of a young girl with a somber look on her face,
the look she probably wears now in eternity.
Just a simple, quiet black & white photo,

But it screamed out the absolute horror of war,
the pain it brings to so many,
the innocent especially. I left my heart, broken,
there at her grave site.

We who were there,
those of us who survived,
we all came back with something missing.

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.

Published on Monday, January 9, 2012. Filed under: "Poetry"

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading this.

Comments on "a grave in vietnam"

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, sheff (137) wrote:

The imagery we see with minimal wording. Beautiful
A former member wrote: Some of us are unfortunate enough to know something of your pain. Be well brother
On Friday, September 11, 2015, carlosjackal (2788) wrote:

Still love this so much..So many volumes spoken..10/10 ;)
On Thursday, May 15, 2014, A poet of madness (114) wrote:

No matter where the war is, home or abroad, the innocent are always the first to suffer. Good write.
On Saturday, January 25, 2014, carlosjackal (2788) wrote:

The simplicity of this is brilliant..Stark message that hits home.
On Monday, December 30, 2013, BetaWolfinVA (791) wrote:

very well written snapshot of the little things that grab you
On Sunday, September 8, 2013, Void Vortex (298) wrote:

Heavy write man! A really touching piece. Nice one!
On Saturday, September 7, 2013, PoetessDarkly (693) wrote:

Awe blue I see I need to read more of your work. they inspire me so
On Tuesday, January 22, 2013, DeafSoldier (38) wrote:

This is very deep. One of the best poems I've read.
On Wednesday, January 2, 2013, Devilish (2633) wrote:

HOW THE HELL did I miss this, i will so die right now.. fuck me. now i am going to go through every single fucking poem on your profile to make sure i didn't miss anything . and thank you sir for your comment you will never know how much i appreciated it. it made me feel like a big girl today.
A former member wrote: I have bookmarked this in another life and will do so again when able. Time breaks us all my friend yet you exude beauty in your depth. As always...
A former member wrote: Thank you for this view...traumas & terrors I couldn't begin to comprehend...& thank you for sharing your poetry, sir. Belated cheers & salutes to you & all the veterans here.
A former member wrote: if there were ever a poem that speaks of raw emotion that grabs the reader and sends them on a journey to hell and back this is it. You amaze me with your quiet approach, you are so very talented. Many of your works leave me teary eyed, they say much about the writer. I admire you. You have my utmost respect. Even though turmoil haunts you like a familiar mistress you have a good heart, it shows.
On Sunday, August 19, 2012, FadedBlues (2096) wrote:

Thanks for visiting this again. it's a good place to renew...
On Wednesday, June 6, 2012, Melancholic VIncent (428) wrote:

War can leave no mark on our bodies, no wounds, no bullet navigating into our flesh and forgotten there, no blood spilled, none of this can happen to the lucky ones, but on the inside we all end up dismembered with everything we have seen and these wounds can easily be ignored or misinterpreted by the foolish ones. No one can forget the abominations of war, when a sweet face is turned into a pile of bones under our feet.... I never went to war, but it feels to me this is how you must feel.
On Wednesday, March 7, 2012, Slingnasty (137) wrote:

FB tears in my eye the vision this piece invoked was personal feeling thanks. Never have I seen a grave as this. Where I was in central and so. america they piled them up to burn the sound and smell are my ghosts thanks again for reminding me of my humanity
A former member wrote: These words..these emotions that clench. Straining to be heard and to be silent leave the reader transfixed. Unable to turn away from the polaroid image and the one that stays frozen on the screen. It is as if for a moment we enter the past and see that moment, that day, that war with your eyes. This made my skin crawl with goosebumps and left me raw with emotion. I respect you for having served and even more so for being so in touch with your emotions. Thank you, you are more of a man than many of us could ever dream of becoming. **Bows**
A former member wrote: War always takes away, it never gives.
On Monday, January 9, 2012, dwells (4177) wrote:

I lucked out and stayed at MacDill in Tampa from '67 thru '69, working on F-4s (Comm / Nav). My cousin Capt. Karl Klute, was killed on a strafing run, flying out of Bien Hoa. Thanks for this somber piece.
On Monday, January 9, 2012, FadedBlues (2096) wrote:

...Bien Hoa, knew it well...I was stationed in Duc Hoa, 40 miles away...thanks...