Uncle Harry

the story behind the poem

This poem was written as a poem of address, or an apostrophe poem. That means addressing something or someone that probably is not going to answer you back; imagining what they would say, do, etc., letting your inner curiosities guide you. (This can be an inanimate object as well as a person.)

This poem is addressed to the Vietnam Memorial Wall, and includes questions and imaginings about the boys and young men who are immortalized there in spirit.

I had an uncle once who meant the world to me. He was young, handsome, (with an Elvis kind of look,) was funny and even a little cocky. He was my dad’s younger brother, and his occupation was the Army. He was always going away and coming back. He lived in places like Korea, Japan, Germany, and Denmark.

It was a big deal to the entire family when Uncle Harry was coming home. We’d have big parties at my grandmother’s house, and everyone would gather around to hear his stories.