a bloody hamburger

smoke from the grills

the game on channel 3

beer cans in the road

a politician grins

children scream

traffic piles up

radios go ballistic

stores have sales

the three day party

yes I remember you

seen your face before

belly-up at Betio

numbed out in the Nam

blown to little pieces

over the decades

so all Americans equally

could have this day off

there’s these parades

the kids love them

some one is selling flags

an ambush in Afghanistan

we hope it won’t rain

you hope it won’t hurt

when they take off your leg

ship you home on crutches

thanks for everything dudes

we honor and salute you

it was worth dying for

just look at all that food

Peter Buknatski

Montpelier, Vt.