Dedicar A DeJesus

The loss of a friend in Vietnam.

I met the tall dark smiling

Mexican sitting on a sandbag.

101st Airborne Division 

Headquarters, Vietnam 1969.

 

he was playing the 

most beautiful music 

on a 12 string guitar.

surrounded by American

boys in uniform

too serious for their ages,

some carrying weapons.

 

we spoke several times. 

he was drafted into the
Army of his newfound country

from a poor Mexican 

neighborhood in California.

operating in a language 

foreign to him, tending to 

withdraw into his music

always smiling.

 

the Commanding General 

of the 101st was a cultured man.

he required DeJesus to play 

in his mess hall during meals.

 

this was no place for his training 

as a ground pounder infantry man.

so he was listed in charge of the 

3,500 watt generator 

tucked into a dugout 

on the side of a hill 

providing power for 

the whole company.

there was one power pole 

and a single supply line 

stretching over the dirt road 

to our barracks.

with no training or

certification,

DeJesus kept the generator 

running 24 hours a day...

it was a loud,touchy, 

cantankerous old machine 

converted to burn jet fuel.

 

one rainy day 

I heard an inhuman 

undulating screeching sound

I will never forget.

I ran out to the road 

to see the pole just as  

his harness released.

 

he fell straddling

straight down the pole

and landed sitting up 

unconscious

forehead to the pole.

 

dead.

 

of all the death I witnessed

the death of DeJesus

has a special place...

the unjust ironic 

unnecessary 

tragic

loss

still makes me sob

almost 40 years later.

Reviews

[Rick Puetter]

Dear papaed,

Life is such a dear gift. Its loss is aways tragic. However when life is lost in a senseless, trivial death, especially at an early age, the anguish and heartache can be nearly inextinguishable. This is a wonderful tribute to DeJesus. I feel your loss, my friend.

Tender regards,

Rick

[Robert Wilson]

Wow, I couldn't keep my eyes off this one. Very gripping.

[TL Boehm]

poignant write my friend. I found myself rereading, hoping for a different ending.....peace.

[Buffi]

This brought tears. It had to be hard for you to write about, much less think about. I am honored to have read this.

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

A touching tribute to a young man who lost his life unnecessarily. Thank you for sharing. Well done.
Light,
Siddartha