By Marilyn Kallet


University of Tennessee Memorial Poem
April 5, 2019

“We did not come to remain whole,” but some days
we feel broken,
missing our friends and kin. 

We are not supposed to hate, but
we hate cancer, car
accidents, heart attacks, and we vow

to work harder for cures.
There is no cure for heartache,
but here, together, we assure each other

that we care––
we aim to honor the Vol memories.
When the saints go marching in, Randall P. Bush

will play alongside on his sax, UT Pride of the
Southland, still eighteen. Forgive us if
we need more time. 

Ryan Andrew Cole, Army Platoon leader,
marches shoulder-to-shoulder with honorable
Captain Charles Chip Ladd, who fought two opps for 

Iraqui Freedom, Enduring Freedom, freedom
in many lands, came home to doctor 
of jurisprudence, UT Law.

Tara LaShea Fox, nineteen, should still be
dreaming her future. Give us time
to grasp her shattered life.

Samuel Hicks streams back 
into the beginning
with the too-early-gone, with 

James Edwin Hinesly, no boundaries on this field.
Here comes the sun, again,
young friend!

Aldena Kay Phillips,
Janet Bunch, Dr. Bin Bin Lin,
Hollis Lanny Davis, Michael Alan Cunningham, 

cancer warriors,
thank you for your work at UT. 
Michael, the Vet School critters adored you.

Pepper backs me 
with her meow! 
We stand with Christie now.

William Theodore Ted Brown,
Air Force, sail
above the clouds.

R. Scott Frey, 
wish you had been my teacher!
Your Soc students raved about your classes.

Don Paul Kenworthy, 
worked overtime
at SWORPS, rest easy now.

Gary Wayne Nichols,
too young, Leslie and Richard
likely agree. 

Anita Elaine O’Dell, 
young friend, kept staff
facilities humming.

Robert P. Bob Rhodes, Jr.
entered Cornell Chemical Engineering at 
16, and like a long, well-made rocket, never stopped.

Jonathan Gregory Rohr,
We are human enough 
to ask Why? 

Karen Anne Seal, 
thank you, 
my Alabama sister.

Art Smith, dear poetry brother,
you wrote, “Sometimes nothing helps.”
Your poetry helped us.   

Michael A. Tackett,
your electricity lights our sky.
You are reeling in the stars.

Aaron Andre Alexander
Wheeler, too young, 
loved fishing, outdoors, the heavens.

Farrell Bennett,
Air Force Vet,
then you forged a path at Neyland for 19 years.

Larry Wayne Cox, 
Navy veteran, electrician’s mate,
ORNL, then you plugged fans into seats at Neyland.

Lloyd Beecher Richardson,
hard-working for decades––
now you are taking your break.

Charles Richard Robertson, Senior,
“a good father”––
best legacy a man can offer.

As Paul Eluard wrote, “Even when we sleep
we watch over one another.
And this love 

heavier than the
ripe fruit of a lake
has lasted forever.

Day after day,
night
after us.”