The Bridge
Never in my life had I seen such a gruesome photo
As that of an American, charcoal-black, mutilated
Thrown over the bridge, dangling in the skies of Baghdad
It contrasted with the photos of the American prison guards' abuse
One can feel the humiliation planted by "war's humor"
That's the game the war played
All are victims
The American reservist went to prison in the midst of his tour of duty...
Then there's the image of the Bridge of Bến Hải
Vietnam, 1954, linking North and South
As the hyphen between slavery-totalitarianism
And freedom-democracy
There is another bridge in the San Francisco Bay,
Open to humanity and the pursuit of happiness
As it stands there in the foggy skies
Alive, watching the flow of the world's citizens
It paints a blessed River
There, in a mystic space
I see a golden gate on Earth,
Welcoming life to the ocean of Liberty...
Linh Duy Vo
May 4, 2005 ©
© Copyright by Linh Duy Vo. All rights reserved.