The Crossing – by Elise van Riet (pilgrim 137)

Elise van Riet sent us this report of her pilgrimage

If you walk the last stage of the Walk of Wisdom , you will cross the bridge the Crossing.

It is beautiful and from the bridge you have a magnificent view over the river and the skyline of Nijmegen with the Stevens Church as a watchman.

While walking across the bridge, you become aware of the extra significance of the Crossing.

Every evening at the time of sunset, a veteran walks across the bridge.

There are 48 pairs of light poles on the bridge and around sunset these light poles are lit pair by pair at the pace of a slow march and spread their light as a tribute to the 48 soldiers who died during their ” crossing ” of the Waal in 1944.

I thought that was a beautiful ritual and decided to join this Sunset March. I’ve done that a few times now. In response to that I made a poem: see below. On May 5, I recited the poem at the monument in memory of the fallen soldiers.

The Crossing

Every dead soldier

Is there one too many

so young and promising

full of life, innocent

Brave and sometimes scared

Comrades for a moment

There was no choice

those who were allowed to live

were pure luck

Respect and tribute

we can give

at sunset

Walking from lamp to lamp

the light comes to life

shines over the water of the Waal

then blood red

now innocent blue

That grave of those 48 dead

on the other side their names

chiseled in cold stone

lest we forget

Elise van Riet

Photo: the Crossing by Bart Kouwenberg