honor

in the city of
Ryazan,

100 miles
outside
of Moscow,

in a Vietnam
War Memorial
Museum

my uncle's
green beret,

the one he wore
in combat,

is displayed in
a glass case;

a tribute to
his courage and
honor.

it's in Russia
because
they respect
soldiers that protect
their countries.

and
because nobody
over here
really cares
to look at it.

–published in Newsletter Inago (March 2000)