Analysis of From the VA's Waiting Room



Through these portals pass the pride of a nation
Brave guardians of the red, white and blue;
Stalwart warriors who saw fit to man their stations
Where America's unwavering stewardship stands true.

Home from hideous trenches drenched by rain
'Ere agonizing sounds of combat shells have quieted down.
Steady in marching formation, despite crippling pain,
Determined to keep old glory from hitting the ground.    

Behold the strong relentless crop of America's youth
Plucked in the prime of their glorious awakening
Disciplined acceptance measured how well they fought
Grief for comrades lost --- a mere excuse for brief mourning.

Legends do not die -- their stories live on
Those who came home will patch up missing details
Each one is a hero, and when recounting is done
A co-patriot fills in where the voiceless one fails.

Make way on these hallways -- walk with respectful stride
These warriors have weathered the test
You are facing gallant patriots who had served with pride.
You are walking amongst America's best.  


Scheme ABXB CXCX XDXD XEAE FGFG
Poetic Form Quatrain  (80%)
Etheree  (20%)
Metre 11101011010 1100101101 1010011111110 1010001001011 1110010111 110001110111001 10010010011001 0101111011001 01010101101001 1001111000100 100010101111 111101011110 1011111011 11111111001 1110100101011 0110010101011 11111110101 110011001 11101010011111 11100101001
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 1,043
Words 179
Sentences 8
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4
Lines Amount 20
Letters per line (avg) 41
Words per line (avg) 8
Letters per stanza (avg) 165
Words per stanza (avg) 33

About this poem

My observations from the waiting room of Palo Alto, California's VA Hospital.

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Written on November 08, 2023

Submitted by Marangal09 on November 10, 2023

54 sec read
45

Rizalina Ramos Talag

Immigrated to the US in 1972 from the Philippines with my family. more…

All Rizalina Ramos Talag poems | Rizalina Ramos Talag Books

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