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Hearts Afire (poem)

By Marc Levy

The one true moment
Amongst the flag wagger's
Pro patria chatter,
The shell shocked anthems,
Teary eyed hand ringers,
Ball game whistlers,
Perpetual clappers,
The one true moment
Struck when the ROTC kids,
Not old enough to hang a hat on,
Tricked out in dress blues,
Too big visor caps,
Black leather shoes that clicked loudly
As they walked down the center aisle
CLICK CLICK CLICK
Startling the curled up service dog
Beneath the fold up seat beside the aisle, whose
High yelps ricocheted off the bare walls
Sending chills
Up the spines
Of the jittered citizens,
Until that moment, hearts afire
With duty, honor, country.

—Marc Levy