Weekly Poem: Silence of the Messengers

October 16, 2013

By Bill Nevins

for Liam

We hear only hush of wings
these angels who
sweep around us
never a word spoken
never a sword drawn
though their voices be strong, their hearts brave,
knowing we would not remember
if they spoke
would not remember one soft word
nor recall one firey blow

so we greet them only with heart
beats as is the way of our kind
as is the way of this unknowing mind.

This piece was written by:

Bill Nevins

Bill Nevins is a 66 year old Albuquerque poet, journalist and UNM writing and public speaking instructor. He is the subject of the award winning feature documentary film Committing Poetry in Times of War which can be viewed on YouTube. Bill Nevins is the father of Sgt Liam J. Nevins (9/11/81-9/21/13) who was killed by "green on blue" fire inflicted by a combatant wearing the uniform of the Afghan National Army on the Gardez Base, Paktia Province Afghanistan. At the time of his death, Sgt. Liam Nevins was recovering from severe gunshot wounds suffered in combat in Paktia Province for which he posthumously has been awarded two Purple Hearts. His funeral with full Special Forces Green Beret military honors took place 10/02/2013 in Denver CO. He was a member of the Colorado National Guard and the US Army SF Green Berets. Bill Nevins's longer poem about the experience of his son in US Army service since 2001 has been widely distributed by Green Beret charitable support activists and will be published in Bill Nevins's forthcoming book to be titled, like that poem, Heartbreak Ridge.

New Mexico Mercury