Ways of Remembering Soldiers--Two Poems

MEMORIAL DAY, EARLY MORNING

Song then, and song's sadness,

remembering soldiers. This day.

Remembering what it is to be 20

years old, and in uniform.

Uniform, and trying to get to that,

only that--before the interruptions begin

arriving. But I am out of town,

away from the garden. Outside.

This day peonies open.

This day China Snow's grand

lilac-like cousin-blossoms,

perfumes the yard, each breeze

holding, redolent circling infusion

kept close by surrounding sanctuary

of fence. Secure defence combatting

malodorant munition patriots.

Out of town, away.

My uniform hangs in a closet.

Bark on China Snow peels gold in sunshine,

crinkling like papyrus, rolling up like dollar bills.

Jim Bodeen

27-28 May 2019

CEREMONIAL COMPOSURE

            --for Olivier Knox

Work just about done for the day,

using up scented blossoms of China Snow

sweeping through the garden, energized

by the arrival of redolent, shielding me

from maloderant, first appearing

in 1825.  Blossoms offering protection

through the afternoon, while I catch up

from Memorial Day. I wanted to send you

this image of how you're going into my mail,

to only friends, all poets, a couple

of photographers. Oh, and my jeweler,

Marty, the Shield Maker. I'm a vet.

85th Evac Hospital. Qui Nhon.

67-68. We took those casualties.

Did some good time teaching

high school journalism. All best.

Jim

28 May 2019