Poem of a Visit to the Vietnam Memorial

Sgt. Grit—
My brother, S/Sgt USMC James Dessert, sent me this poem. Jim lives in the Rocky Hill, CT VA home where his friend, S/Sgt USMC Thomas Schick was living until his recent death. Jim tells me that S?Sgt Schick completed three tours of duty in Viet Nam 1966-67-68-69 and fought in the battle of Ka-San 1968.

Jim says S/Sgt Schick was a quiet, modest man who wrote this poem some time before his death in Oct. this year. Jim was so moved by the poem, he asked me to send it to you so you might publish it in honor of S/Sgt Tom. I hope you will consider publishing it where you think others may benefit from its content. Here it is:

I Went To The Wall, Our Wall
By Thomas Schick

The Wall
I hid from you these many years,
knowing full well that the tears of stored up pain would flow.
It was a cleansing, it was a relief for me.
A chance to say good-bye to so many friends.
Saw your names carved in stone.
As I looked for mine, I saw your faces in my heart.
Images I never could forget, nor would I.
I know you heard my cries, I know you felt my pain.
I walked along your monuments,
I felt your presence beside me.
You gave me comfort,
you freed my tears, I wept for you.
I’ve missed you that paid the price of glory.
The Wall,
Black, lined with people night and day.
Where were they when we came home?
I still hear your voices.
I still fell your pain
What did we really gain?
Freddy, Bobby, Dan and George.
So many names, so many lives were lost, too many.
Jose, Manny, Speedball, and the Sarge.
We ran for it all in the years of our innocence.
No More walls.
No more monuments to celebrate war.
No more killing of young men.
No more walls.
Your names are in stone for all time.
Your memories are in our hearts and souls for all time,
for all the right reasons, real or imagined.
The Wall,
To walk the Wall,
To share the pain of all who visit the Wall.
The Wall,
Too long, too high, too real.
The Wall of pain and love, honor and pride.
I’ve walked the Wall