all come to live a dream
to join the slowest parade they'll ever see
their weight of sorrows carried long and carried far
taken to The Wall
it's 40 paces to the year that he was slain
his hand's slipping down The Wall for it's slick with rain
how would life have ever been the same
if this wall had carved in it one less name?
but for Christ's sake, he's been dead over 20 years
he leaves the letters asking,
"who caused my mother's tears,
was it Washington or the Viet Cong?"
slow deliberate steps are involved
he takes them away from the black granite wall
toward the other monuments so white and clean
o, Potomac, what you've seen
Abraham had his war too
but an honest war
or so it's taught in school
