Gunny (For Briah Connor
Gunny
(For Briah Connor )
I heard the footsteps of a brother today
one that has passed away he walked
by my desk
where strewn papers and paperclip sit and stacked books
that look like they are about to tumble over
they called him Gunny..
I bet he was a tough old bastard
Marine tough
the stereotypical type tough
the short in height but tall in stature
a leather wind swept face
you know the type
we shared things in common
we came together under
the Memorial Day Writer’s Project tent
we shared words and songs
for years we’d meet at the Vietnam Memorial Wall
he and thousands of other service men and women
would come to weep
to honor our fallen comrades our brother-in-arms
the long Memorial Day Weekend
I bet Gunny was a tough old bastard
when you had to be tough
war makes you like that
when we met you’d never know he was a tough old bastard
because when we met he managed to have
pure light emanate from somewhere deep in his soul
he had managed to become whole
it just goes to show
some Marine tough old bastards
are gentle giants
it just hidden somewhere deep within
their uniforms
Clyde A. Wray
May 26, 2020
All Rights Reserved