Valentines Day in a Foxhole

by Gary Jacobson © February 2008


Sitting in a foxhole so dark ...so lonely
I see her longingly
From far across the heartbreak sea
Where I know she waits impatiently for me
I still see fiery excitement flashing in sultry eyes
Smiling as I recall her heart-throbbing lips surprise
The lips this soldier loves to meet with all his heart
By heartless war driven apart
Each for the other now pining
Spirit and being over the many miles intertwining.

It’s Valentine’s Day ... your special day
And I can’t stop thinking about you
Oh my girl I adore, with cheeks a red rosy hue
“I adore you ... I miss you ... I need you ... I want you.”
Yet all around profane horrors abominably scream
Fighting the order of the day it would seem
In a foxhole surrounded by verdant green
Where I'm witness to wall-to-wall sights savagely obscene.
I'm thankful no one saw the tear I cried
For I must stand with pride to in this devilish fray abide
I'm but a breath away from grotesque death
I watch for swarthy men coming with extinction to bequeath
Meshing loving with hating eats at my fearful soul
Rising above war’s fetid foxhole
As this soldier pictures his one true love
An Angel sent from supernal heavens above.
It’s Valentines Day, the season of love in array
But in Vietnam people may still die today
Can deep-seated love the killing allay
Restore her fading picture in dreams omnipresent?
No, love's torn from this warrior’s arms absent
Armed with the thought of you, my shining light
Guiding spirituality through uncompromising dark of night
Your fragrant memories give me lusty strength to carry on
When weakening snares of the enemy my body own.

With thee, who art of all that’s happened to me, the very best
Thy love jump-starts this lusty valor beating within my breast.
I promise, if I make it home from this lair of the Cong
It’s only because thoughts of you made me strong.
You stand beside me now, though far away
Instilling bravery every day in this heated fray
Dwelling inside me as I make history
You make me the bastion of freedom’s brave story.

Oh, on this Valentines Day
The bestiality of war lies more real anyway
Yet in it, I feel so lost without you
Forlorn, lonely and blue
Longing for thy blythe spirit while corkscrew jungle humping
Envisioning thine winsome face while talking, walking, digging
Charming me while stalking, engaging in battles warring
Oh the fire of sweet desire comes in foxholes abiding.

Oh, how long this gruesome fated night...
Set upon by a heinous plight
That sent this boy-next-door to fight
Sent to a place where men bear thoughts in mind unkind
Tightly wind those fears around my throat that bind.
Through the long lonesome hours waiting
For bestial men to come killing
Seeking my very love of life to still
Violently and forever nourishing this bloody hill.

It’s Valentines Day!
And I’m already sweating under another sunshiny ray
Somehow always thinking of you
Oh how greatly I miss you
Every night ... every day
After digging my foxhole I pray
Prayerfully longing in the heart of me to be
Again in your arms divine, oh sweet ecstacy.

To survive to return back to the world, I dream
Through long sweaty nights, thoughts my being ream
Longing for you, so soft, so pure, so serene
One minute I’m thinking how can I keep from singing
The next minute with silent tears I’m crying
Hoping this boy-next-door fighting for liberty
Will once again soon be blessed to be
Beside his girl-next-door with loving charms so heavenly.
Oh, it’s Valentines Day midst feral, savage war
That grotesquely disparate ogre the devil holds in store
Giving to men eternal heartache in grief esoterica
America
Caught up in battle fatigue
Riding birds of steel with hatred’s big-league
Having brushed aside painfully taught systems value
Like a blood stained bolt from the blue.
It’s Valentines Day
Yet as ever, death will not delay...
It will come for some ... today!
Though I long to lie beside thee in paradisiacal peace
Wishing in my heart this war may cease
That birds may sing sweetly, softly so
Modern man will embrace world’s differences as flowers grow
Mankind will learn seeds of God’s love to neighbors sow
And I can love you. Simply love you!