Daniel Patrick Cacle's Poem Titled 'Blue Star Memorial'

October 18, 2014. The morning light trickled down through the dense canopy of trees that encircled the cemetery as I walked through the grassfield in front of the entrance. Only a few clouds blotched the otherwise flawless sky-blue. Passing the entrance that read “Los Angeles National Cemetery”, two signs stood in front of me: one with a list of floral regulations, the other welcoming visitors, while warning them of prohibited activities. Behind it, a black signpost read: “Blue Star Memorial, A tribute to the Armed Forces that have defended the United States of America”. Except for the dull roar of speeding cars on the highway beside the entrance, and the occasional, distant chirpings of birds, the scene was filled with a solemn quietude. As I walked further inside, vast fields of grass continued before me, segmented in an organized matter by the paved roads with rows of aligned trees. Some had gravestones, buried into the ground in neat lines, each facing in a north-south orientation, while others did not. Approaching what seemed to be a mere grassfield, I noticed the endless rows of …show more content…
The identity of the deceased is displayed through not only their name but also religious symbols and military status. Daniel Patrick Cacle was an SPC, a military rank, in the US Army, and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His service to the military can be conceived through the awards he received: Bronze Star Medal, or BSM, awarded for heroic or meritorious achievement or service; Purple Heart, or PH, awarded to those wounded or killed in service; and KIA, that is killed in action. The offerings of flowers and flags reveal that he is still visited by and remains in the heart of others, reflecting the social relationships that shaped his life, while the outline of the cross expresses his religious affiliation with