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by Alan Yount
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for Dale Palmer, 1950-2018.
VA Medical Center, Columbia, Mo.
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you were in the army infantry
in vietnam and thailand.
I was air force.
after we retired
we could go boating
any afternoon
we wanted to.
the missouri river
was a lot quieter
than in the mekong delta:
which seemed as it was
on the far side, from our world.
dale once said,
“things were different
during the war.”
“everyday … I thought
I might not come back.”
after a pause, he said …
“you know me …
I did my best out there:
all I could do.”
as we floated
by a long sandbar …
two large blue herons
lifted up,
in the quiet, of the early dusk.
as we floated by
we could see
where their footprints
were left in the sand.
***
you said
with a sure feeling:
“today, we should
be out fishing & floating
the missouri river, as we are.”
you said with
another grin & laugh:
“we are doing exactly
what we should be doing
in this moment …
just …right … now!”
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