The Wall – By Joni Baginski

The Wall
by JONI BAGINSKI

I WROTE THIS POEM, "THE WALL" MARCH 17, 2009, AFTER SEEING THE TRAVELING WALL IN APACHE JUNCTION ARIZONA, WITH MY HUSBAND, JAMES J BAGINSKI, USMC VIETNAM 65/66, FIELD ARTILLERY.

I JUST SAW THAT YOU HAD POEMS ON YOUR WEBSITE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD USE IT, I JUST WANTED TO PASS IT ON.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

SO MANY NAMES
ARE ON THIS WALL
TO HONOR THOSE
WHO STOOD BRAVE AND TALL

AT A TIME WHEN OUR LAND
WAS FULL OF HATE
FORWARD THEY MARCHED
NO IDEA, OF THEIR FATE

ONE BY ONE
TO A PLACE FAR AWAY
WITH ?BASIC? TRAINING
TO KEEP THE ENEMY AT BAY

HOW MANY LIVES FOREVER CHANGED
BY THIS WALL OF NAMES
FAMILIES ALTERED
NEVER TO BE THE SAME

STILL SO MUCH PAIN
FOR THOSE WHO CAME HOME
FOR SOME, THE HEALING,
HAS JUST BEGUN

IT'S OVERWHELMING
TO SEE ALL THE NAMES ON THIS WALL
ALL OF THEM HEROES
FOR US, THEY GAVE ALL