Marble Forest

We first learned of the Korean War
from a few posed pictures  
of dad in uniform-- leaning on a jeep,  
lipping a cigarette casually.  
But it was nothing we spoke of.  
 
Did he ever sleep--  
on that couch with five children?  
Ear to Dad's chest — the catbird’s seat.  
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.  
 
At the end, he just flat froze,  
skin cool as Murphy marble-  
with immutable alabaster eyes.  
 
Monuments bear witness  
to countless abrupt endings, when  
soldiers metamorphose from  
breathing beings to stone.