How Does One 'Celebrate' a Memorial Day,really! C/C a free verse?

Memorial Day is not just for soldiers slain .

Remembering the dead is what it really means,

isn't it?But-

Okay,Pvt.First Class Bucky Gierman,

I will honor you first for succumbing

to enemy fire in the Vietnam War.

You were the darling in my history class

of 1963-64.

You always got Coach Mawry to teach us

football plays instead of boring dates in history.

"Read chapters 1 through 20 and a test on Friday"

you would always make him say.

I would never have obtained such a knowledge

of the game if not for you.

Oh,Bucky,I will always go back to an earlier time

when I answered the knock at our jalousie door

and there you stood,sheepishly asking if

my sister was at home.

I remember your black cowboy boots

below the last pane,digging into the stoop with the

nervous squirming of your feet inside.

You then invited us both out to your family ranch,

afraid your first date Was a first date,

and took us riding.

You gave my sister the golden palomino,

you rode the black horse

and you gave me

the gigantic mule.

I remember your long bangs

and over due haircut

shining like sunlight

on beach sand and flying

in the wind.

The two of you stayed ahead,

no walking or even trotting allowed.

Galloping to full runs,

what a great wild ride we had.

One of those perfect afternoons

that we etch to memory.

I always wished you had married my sister,

just so we might have a few cute towheads in our family

to fawn over.

You signed up and went away

right after our senior year.

Sis was engaged to a Navy guy,

who played on your football team.

I never even knew you died

until many years after the fact,

but when I was in D.C.,

I finally found your name on that

dreadful onyx wall amongst the thousands.

I traced it out and sent it to your Mom

without a note or explanation,

but hopefully a simple gesture of remembrance.

And so,Buck,on each saddest day in May,

for over forty years

I have never forgotten your sweet ever smiling face,

and as Dylan has sung,you will always remain

"Forever Young".