On an island
on the intersection of
Washington Street and Comm Ave
sits a large square
stone monument
It is gated off from
the rest of the world
with black cast iron fencing
Grass and flowers
grow all around it
two American flags
waving in the wind
next to it
on both sides
PFC Stanley N. Kaplan
engraved into the stone
along with other symbols
and epitaphs on it
Markings telling which unit
he served with:
Co. E 104th Infantry 26th Division
during the Second World War
Being born on
July 31, 1925
his life was cut short
when he was killed in action
October 11, 1944
In the country of France
Stanley N. Kaplan
unfortunately died at
the young age
of nineteen
Even though I never
knew the PFC
I am sure he was as
the epitath at the bottom
of his stone reads:
A good son
A good Boy Scout
A good soldier
Comments
your clearly expressed little poem.
I enjoyed this description and see the statue clearly, and am almost persuaded to believe that I am related to the soldier.
My father survived the first World War, took part at the age of 17, wow poor wee boy!
He never spoke of it except about the happy moments in it.
One sees the futility of war, and feels it, with your clearly expressed little poem.
Nordic cloud.
I came back to add that I think this the best memorial poem ever, it states the facts and we add the sentiments because we cannot help but do so. Powerfully simple, "more is less!"