One Story From Viet Nam

I was twenty-one and you, my love, age eighteen;

you were dressed in summer white; I in Army green.

We fell in love and life was grand; till my orders came;

we tried to pretend that everything remained the same.

~~~~~

The day arrived; this young Lieutenant took his flight;

time to use my training to fight the good soldier’s fight.

One last kiss before we parted; then I boarded plane;

holding tears till out of sight; so couldn’t see my pain.

~~~~~

I soon landed on a foreign soil; to serve my country well;

Not knowing in just brief time; I’d be marching into hell.

A comrade’s fallen, left behind and I must go in search;

upon a hill; where he may lay wounded and in a lurch.

~~~~~

Chopper drops us in unfriendly land; my platoon and me;

with trepidation and some fear; our guns held readily.

With Sergeant by my side; we stealthily climbed the hill;

we promised we’d not let the other; be captured to kill.

~~~~~

A claymore mine they say was tripped; I lay on the ground;

bleeding from an unknown wound; I never heard the sound.

The enemy had ambushed us; they set their plan in motion;

Sarge’s hand grabbed my legs; pulling me with devotion.

~~~~~

The Sergeant was wounded too; but still stayed by my side.

My guys fought for many hours; though many of them died.

“No morphine for me Medic; I must remain clear and alert.”

Air support was on its way; I must hang on; “Oh God I hurt!”

~~~~~

Once Charlie was on the run; our rescue chopper came;

wounded first, then the rest; I called out Sarge’s name.

He was the last to jump in; before we lifted up in air;

last thing I remember was; Sergeant’s concerned stare.

~~~~~

He passed out while holding me; and I passed out too;

He woke up in the hospital; death parted me from you.

I held on as long as could; I tried to be a soldier brave;

my love, try to understand; my wounds were too grave.

~~~~~

Blame me not for leaving you; blame the senseless war;

and the ones who feed the beast; from shore to shore.

Greed and power killed me; was not the enemy’s hand;

more soldiers, like me will perish; lying on foreign sand.

~~~~~

I’m in a place where lasting peace cannot be undone;

where serenity now takes the place of the warring gun.

Mourn me not my love; but remember me in kindness;

till we are united once again; far from men’s blindness.