written @ 1993 -gina victorino

original title  THE WALL 

               Margaret’s Reason

In Washington D.C. A monument stands
To those who lost their lives in Vietnam
Their names are carved in black granite.
The survivors named it… The Wall
This story is dedicated to all those heroes and we pledge we’ll never forget.. I saw him standing all alone
That night staring at the wall
There were so many names to try and read
But he searched through them all
Then he spotted a wilted flower
That someone had wedged in a tiny crack
It was by a name that he seemed to know
He smiled as he stepped back
Then I watched him reach out and touch the flower with a calloused hand,
With tears in his eyes he whispered
God, help me understand
He was a lonely soldier drifting from day to day
Caught in between two worlds trying to find his way
Somebody’s restless hero
Making his final call
He had a special reason for coming … To the Wall.
I walked up and asked his name
He told me “I’m Billy Rowe”
He was dressed in a ragged uniform
Said he fought in Vietnam 16 years ago
He said,”My life has been so confusing” But I’m trying to make the change
It’s just I miss my wife so very much
Then what he said seemed strange
He said”You know, all my old friends are here
I can see now the time is finally right
Then he turned and said goodbye to me and walked into the light
I felt a force pull me to the Wall
To tell me something I should know
And then I saw that wilted flower as it finally began to grow
I could now plainly see the name from so many years ago
One of many killed in Vietnam Private Billy Rowe
I guess for some it’s not easy -the love they have lives on
But that night Pvt. Billy Rowe Finally found his home
He was a lonely soldier drifting from day to day
Caught in between two worlds trying to find his way
Somebody’s restless hero
Making his final call
He had a very special reason for coming … To the Wall.
Margaret