Service

a tall spire

long,

solid stone,

jutting into

the sky

 

between two clouds

that form

a pair of

fleshy lips

 

at the spire’s base,

words etched

in black stone

memorializing

the sacrifice

of sea men

 

                I walk

                among

the stone walls

               

some have

reliefs,

                images of battle,

                soldiers

                carrying weapons

 

benches

to sit on,

to lay on,

plain and simple,

marble,

I think,

line the paths

 

                                                                                there are

                                                                                two girls

                                                                                                wearing

                                                                                                                almost nothing

                                                                                giggling

 

                                                                                their voices

                                                                                husky and heavy

                                                                                reverberate

                                                                                against

                                                                                the tomb-like

                                                                                markers

 

bouncing,

echoing around

cutting

through the somber mood

 

                                                I notice

                                                the weeds

                                                peeking out

                                                through the bricks

                                                of the walking path

 

                                                                                                                I think

                                                                                                                about the soldiers

                                                                                                                walking

                                                                                                                on foreign soil

                                                                                                                working

                                                                                                                on foreign whores

                                                                                                                and wonder

                                                                                                                where the marker

                                                                                                                for the prostitutes

                                                                                                                is

 

                                                                                and perhaps

                                                                                if the gigglers

                                                                                knew where it was

                                                                                whether or not

                                                                                the two

                                                                                would pay

                                                                                their respects

                                                                                to the service

                                                                                of those identified

                                                                                lost in the service

                                                                                of America