PAYING ATTENTION TO HATS AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER

 

PAYING ATTENTION TO HATS AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER

 

Last night at Camp Hope the Lutherans

Wore new aprons with the black cross, white rose, red heart.

Brought Calico Beans, Cole Slaw, and brownies

From family kitchens. Bottles of water

And enough for seconds. Martin Luther

Made this cross and rose himself—1520.

Good hats, what I look for.

 I found the Vietnam vet baseball cap

coming through the line worn by a vet

In a wheel chair. No signs of war having distanced

Him from mobility. I ask first, where and when.

68 the first time. 69 and 70 the second time.

Came home— got out for a while and went

Right back in, re-enlisted. I ask where again

And he says below Cam Ranh and then the DMZ

At Cu Chi. Who with. 25^th. Infantry, I say Yeah.

And MOS? Mortars. I was at the 85^th Evac Hospital. Tet,

I said. He said, The second time up North. Yes,

I say. Cu Chi. After the bombing. He nods.

We evac’d boku from Cu Chi—not stopping.

Morale was gone by that time, right? Long gone.

That hat. Thanks for wearing it. Thanks for your time.

Welcome to Camp Hope. Thank you too he says,

And welcome home. I know the cooks

Who cooked those beans, I say. Seconds on the slaw?

 

Jim Bodeen

13 October 2026