Guest Writer – Penni Evans; Frozen in Bronze

                                   An Angel in Blue

This week’s guest writer is Penni Evans. Penni began writing poetry and short essays at the age of fifteen. Encouraged by her grandmother, Amah, herself a writer, Penni dreamed of far-away places and world travel.

After she earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science, Penni volunteered for duty with the Red Cross organization. Through them, Penni became a Donut Dollie and was sent to Vietnam.

Slogging through the mud, life in Nam.

Vietnam took its toll on Penni as it did with many who served there. After her tour, she spent six months back packing across Europe. She worked for other non-profit organizations and obtained a Masters degree in Human Behavior.

At a Red Cross reunion in San Francisco in 1983, Penni’s emotional healings from the Vietnam War began. She started writing poetry which has been published in various Women’s and Veteran’s venues. She also has been active in many Women’s Veteran’s issues. Penni currently lives in Colorado with three very close feline friends.

Penni has graciously shared her poetry with me, to share with all. The following is a poem she penned after the Vietnam Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C., which she had a part in creating, was dedicated in 1993. I believe you will enjoy Frozen in Bronze.

                                       Frozen in Bronze

Who are you, my sister

I look into your eyes and see my soul

You are frozen in bronze, forever young

What are your memories, your thoughts

What words have been spoken

For your ears only

The secrets you hold in your heart

Are mine also

Will your voice ever be heard

Can the words locked so deep within

Ever be free to drift on the wind

Can the night of the endless dark

Ever become the dawn of a new day

Will we as sisters ever heal

From wounds suffered

In silence a lifetime ago

We were healers

Warriors and angels of truth

No matter what clothes we wore

Nor where we worked

Nor the time we served

Our duties may have been varied

But my sister

We were all together

We can come visit you

And in so doing

We can visit

The self we left behind

So many years

So many tears

So many memories ago.

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