At the memorial

Stay behind until dark-
It is peaceful and beautiful here at night,
and lying down on this field,
you can count the stars and
feel the wind across the Potomac
on your face.
Not interested ?
My fault perhaps,for when you're 21
small things seems miraculous and magical,
and youth expendable, on such poetic indulgences.
But you who stand beside me now,
middle aged,mediocre,but survivor anyhow,
peering at crosses that stretch across the plain
reading rank,medals and name-
you were always wiser,to not have enlisted.
For I'm 21, six feet under, and dead.