This wall has heard
the sounds of shouts
and clanging iron bells,
of dread and hope,
of sirens deep in the night
Inside, volunteers are vigilant,
inside, the wagons wait,
illuminated by one dim bulb
shining through decades
This wall has seen
yellow flames flash
through surrounding skies
Brigades of brass-buttoned men
leap from dead sleep,
rush the carriages,
water buckets, pumpers, hoses
in tow
This wall remembers
the brave returning,
backs slumped
with weariness,
faces sooted with sorrow
This wall remembers
the fallen
who never returned
And now this wall stands
witness to past and present,
its rough finish
smoothed with vibrant colors,
a testament
to everything this wall
has known
|