To the fallen

or to the children

or to families

or to the independent spirit

or to John Roberts, who was shot at dawn

or to Levi Bellows, who was stripped of a stripe

for talking back at the colonel

or to Robins Stick, who was almost court-martialed for cowardice

when in fact he was suffering shell shock

or to my grandparents

or to my grand uncles, who were never the same in the head,

says my father.

To my son.