Tag Archives: remembering

Remembering Alan V. Vaskas

Yesterday I learned a long-time Friend died. We met in January, 1970, while he was in Walter Reed Medical Center as a Vietnam veteran. I wrote about that here: jessandunnotis-writer.com/2015/11/11/m…

It was an extra-ordinary (sic) friendship spanning almost six decades and begun with a long walk along devastating corridors at Walter Reed. Neither of us could have guessed where our lives would lead us nor how long we would sustain our friendship.

When Janet called to tell me you were dead she apologized for “dropping this bomb”. There was no other way to say…

Even though you’re no longer on this earth, Alan, to share good conversations, laughter, talks about current events, family and all; for me, our friendship will continue until I pass over. Until we meet again…

A long time ago I promised I would write a poem trying to describe a moment in time when you were hit in Vietnam. That piece was begun, started and stopped, and begun, again, more than once. I believe I have the nut of it now. I will keep that promise.

Your race is run, Alan. Rest in eternal peace. Your memory will always be a blessing. 🙇🏼‍♀️🙏🏼🫶🏼🕯️

DISSOLVE

As when you touch yourself for the first

     time inside and out

Or when you have left without saying goodbye

     for the last time and you do not know it yet

Like walking into a dark room where everything

     is known and you are excited that

     something alive and beautiful will brush

     your face

Or I am the long tree whose branches

     move gently wild from the wind

     and leave marks on your face

     that you will remember when you dream

     and you will go back to stare for days

     until your eyes ache

Like arms that nobody who has ever loved you

    has had before or has held you more strong

    than you will ever be held again

And you will weep because you know that

    that is true.

(c) Jessan Dunn (DeCredico) Otis – 1985/1987 – CQ, California State Poetry Quarterly, Spring-Summer 1987, Volume 14, Number 1, p.11. 

GREAT AUNT JESSIE – poem

, or we don’t talk to the ones

who

know and survive

          It is past time

          to call you back again

          The old ones are dead

Like water bright

in the eye

           The brush of memory is too wide

           And the surface is shimmered and wrong

Long afternoons listening

to the old woman about 

her old women

           The algae of remembering obscures

Again and again.

Jessan Dunn (DeCredico) Otis  © 1985