Where Valor Rests

Arlington National Cemetery is a moving place, and should be treated with respect and honor, but tourism has cheapened the real gravity of thousands of Americans who gave their lives for the country. Some prime examples of the disrespect towards the deceases; Many, many people having photographs of them taken, smiling like idiots, in front of the memorial to John F Kennedy. Many other groups of young people from other parts of the country were acting like 12 1/2 year old boys at a Six Flags. About the pictures, I thought to myself "Do they really need pictures to remember? Do they understand the gravity?"

"Too many pictures
too little respect
not enough thought
tourism tarnishes the Silver of Arlington"

"Hundreds and hudreds
of thousands of stones
coloured in ivory
to echo the bones

Thousands and thousands
of crosses and stars
one can't help but ponder
the losses and scars"

The previous were jottings from myself at Arlington, Blazin' Ray's comp book was lost, so I decided to post my thoughts and jottings from this experience. I would like to close with a quote from the amphitheater at Arlington.

"When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen"

Take it easy.