A Call to The Wall Thomas Merton Brightman (All rights reserved) A long tale One's getting to The Wall Probably begins at birth Won't end with this or any other war There are lots of walls in life Non-vets also honor The Wall Each rife with interior strife Honoring their own sacrificial stand-tall To salve those in intimate offering Often takes a special other Also steeped in suffering One way or the other--like a brother Friend asks "Will you help me get to The Wall?" I've come so close yet without success Painful task facing the pall Veterans Day is a living task For those still alive Memorial Day easier to ask Weeping those already under the grass I have two tickets to Veterans Day VA wants to honor medal winners all Been invited before, but could not see my way To this honor-myself-and-others Call First, I must do the Wall This is why I ask Feels the time to answer that Call Hope to get there with you at my back Got above The Wall, to the grassy knoll Several times, just that a real test Too much feeling the toll Sat, looked, listened, left... Vet and a brother Made it that day He with very little help from me Up close finally got to see The day came For one who had stood particularly tall To touch the etched name A brother on The Wall First with me a friend Then Again And Again Following year with Son Next time Son with Grandson Each year thereafter looking for Others still stalled above The Wall Vet keeps returning to this piece of land Above The Wall A brother willing to give a hand Seeking others who saw it all His Answering A Call to The Wall