I learned of your death years after the fact
And it still came in like a freight train out of left field.
Not to say that we were particularly close,
But my mind immediately went to the image
I captured of you and another Marine
Relaxing outside our grueling training.
Laughing.
Smiling.
The way you’d want to be remembered.
As the sole keeper of the image,
It had to make its way
Back to your home,
To your family
So they can remember you
As the laughing,
Smiling man.
Native Rhode Islander and proclaimed Renaissance Man, Iraq vet He is the author of Stones of the Wooded Valley and The Silent Whispers of Omens. His latest book PHANTOMS, covers his deployment to Iraq in '06-'07. Ben is the 2024 recipient of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s Robert A. Gannon award for original poetry dealing with Marine Corps Life.
What’s happening at VetRep…
This weekend VetRep is participating in Beacon Open Studios and Upstate Art. You can find us at 139 Main St., in Beacon, NY, showcasing local artists within the veteran community, as well as 257 Main St., in Cornwall all weekend long!
Listen to our latest episode with Kimberly Evans on the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we interview incredibly talented musicians, artists, writers, and theater professionals, who also happen to be veterans.
Join us this Saturday at the Parlor for Thrillers and Laughs, a collection of seven, veteran authored 10-minute plays that are sure to amuse, startle, and thrill you. Settle in with a refreshing summer mocktail and dessert made by our friends at Jones Farm for a night you won’t forget. Shows have been sold out all season long, so get your tickets before they’re gone!