August 10, 2026
Posted at the request of Marcia Southwick, in honor of her dear friend John Stevens Berry Sr.
SILENCE
My final day in uniform.
The very last moment--
Presidio, San Francisco.
Polished floors,
Chandeliers,
Classic staircase.
And here's my job:
Sign the registry book.
Drop a copy of my orders through
The slot in the podium.
And I'm a civilian!
No handshake.
No attaboy backslap.
Nothing.
Took me days to clear post:
exit physical, paymaster, the works.
And not, nothing.
Almost like the moment by a body bag,
Wondering if the Seiko watch
that poor kid had bought at the PX
was still there,
ticking.
Wondering if my silence was maybe
just a little
like his.
— John Stevens Berry Sr.
Bronze Star and Vietnamese Medal of Honor First Class
Selected poem from Foot Soldier: New and Selected Poems