Fragments
The Long Coming Home from Vietnam
- 2020 INDIES Winner
- Silver, War & Military (Adult Nonfiction)
Bruce Berger finally came home 50 years after the Vietnam War when his memories crystallized into the 34 poems in this chapbook. As “next-of-kin” editor, he wrote hundreds of sympathy letters to grieving families back home, and sometimes helped gather fallen brothers on battle grounds. He was immersed in the words, images, weight, and limitless reach of death. Through this lens, his poems evoke an overwhelming sense of loss on many fronts--from battlefields to PTSD and Agent Orange.