Personal effects:
watches, rings
No, not buttons or shoes,
these belong to the government
Watches, rings -
teeth and bones
these are yours
buckles, buttons, shoes
these belong to the government.
teeth, bones, remains
These will have an escort
on the plane
to the place of interment and you -
parents/spouses/children/siblings
by law
will have your travel paid and
flag and flag case
to keep
and post interment care
A cap on costs
of course,
but casket, honor guard
are paid
buckles, buttons, shoes are ours
but teeth and bones
watches, rings
These are yours.
[This is akin to a Walking Poem, in that it was written in the midst of what it is describing. The place was Washington, D.C.. The speaker was a member of the military organisation charged with the discovery, retrieval, identification, and re-burial of the remains of American military personnel wherever in the world they might be found. He was explaining to family members of lost service men and women gathered in a large hotel what our rights were, and what we could expect, should remains be found and found to be ours.]