The music playing is "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream," by Ed McCurdy. My name is Gary Jacobson. I worked in this beautiful Southeast Asian paradise for my rich uncle, tilling the fields all white and ready for harvest, and pruning his vineyard. The rich uncle was my uncle Sammy, and Vietnam was the beautiful Southeast Asian paradise ... where I served as a combat infantryman with B co 2nd/7th 1st Air cavalry. War was a horribly traumatic enigma for an entire lost generation of boys-next-door. We were the flower of America's youth, who found the toll heavy to bear in body, mind and soul. I was "Gungho Naive" when I arrived "In Country." I returned to my homeland across the pond wounded in body and spirit, disillusioned in many ways that would last a lifetime. I am proud to have served my country, but hope we can learn from the history of this so called "Undeclared War." I sincerely hope we will not doom our children to fight senseless battles as did we, shackling them to similar fates suffered by their fathers. There is no glory in war...only death and misery! Sometimes war is a necessary evil ... sometimes not ... sometimes there's Vietnam! My fervent wish is that there be peace on earth, peace evermore, and war-no-more! 
by Gary Jacobson © June 2008 Lucy’s in the sky with diamonds To a land where this gung-ho naive boy transcends... This boy-next-door heading for the glory of war To adventure doing his patriotic chore Echoing glorious exploits patriot’s bore... Exciting with trepidations of what Vietnam has in store. Don’t worry soldier Oh my brave stout warrior... You came over here so brave A brave young nation to save. It will be alright... Just lose yourself in the freedom fight. So full of gung-ho innocence So full of the young’s righteous abhorrence For oppressive warlords holding abomination Come now in Vietnam to fight that evil minion Part of a new army coming Through sweet-and-sour skies to the rescue flying. Don’t worry young soldier Mankind’s savior You’re America’s best By bounteous life blest Come to right the world’s grievous wrongs Singing in your breast liberty songs. You’ve seen patriotic duty clear Devoted a short-time year To renounce the evil you forswear On broad shoulders democracy bear Surely you’ll know no fear... As you bite malefactors in the rear. But then you see your best buddy die Horribly. Bloodily. Try not to cry... As you say goodby to your brother... Then you kill your first man ... then another The oppressive fear of death you hide Under foolish wilting pride. Soon you learn war’s an ogrish beast War its killing feast As all around people die And you lie... Whispering, cursing, “It don’t mean nuthin’” Knowing in reality, it means everything. Here comes the sun Here comes the sun Real with every breath So real the specter of death Where cares of infected day fester in long, lonely nights This campout with brothers gets us through the frights. Deny intrepid dread grown weary to the bone Fear’s specter threatening your very soul to own Walking the park step-by-step disillusioned You know, everywhere you go, you’re shadowed By men covenanted to your death preoccupied Men dedicated to your obliteration committed. You’re a veteran now. Dinky Dau! Where warriors no longer worry about democracy Nor winning freedom in liberty. For old warriors fight only for their brothers Hope only to survive to return to mothers Hope only to catch that great silver bird across the pond To escape to the land of the giant PX abscond. Lucy still fills the sky with diamonds Where sparkling, withering, blistering heat never ends Monsoon rain never ends Humping the park in Vietnam never ends Repressed fear of death never ends Till with sharp report or dull thud Sudden or dreadfully slow in sweat, mud and blood... It ends! 
Black Snake in my House by Gary Jacobson © June 2008 A slithery black snake’s in my house Shedding scaly skin of woeful complaints to grouse Fetid memories flailing from fear of death arouse. My corkscrewed snake eats at family allegiances Grumbling with insidious grievances Coiling to strike with inane contrivances My black snake makes me horrible thoughts think... Wild Turkey to drink. My black snake is PTSD, you see, making me paranoid Leaving a hole in my heart void Bringing back toxic memories of killing I try to avoid I struggle to maintain sanity Sometimes doubt my humanity Forked-tongue lies corrupt moral integrity... I wonder why I am not yet free Why what has war made of me? My black snake is war's omnipresent manifestation War's demonic infestation Traumatic with insatiable degradation War, a defiant affront to sensibility born in gentility A manipulative residual of war’s great blasphemy Bringing carnage to this poor boy’s soul Perfidious evil will on a warrior dole Ripping ingenuous hearts and minds.evil to cajole. My black snake is insidious PTSD buried deep in anger Striking with venomous bite at a whim of treacherous rancor Welling up to impact old warrior’s forever Closeted violence burning in treasonous spite. War planted this cataclysmic seed in long ago fight Where I lost absurdity in the American dream Hissing with malevolent fear borne in primal scream Splitting forlorn air with deep despair. My black snake resurrects my deepest fear... Creeping with venom to my heart sear... Physical pain of PTSD it will bring Its forked tongue with splitting discordance sing Decays within my soul ... destroying me Mentally, spiritually, socially, abandoning me Maligned, depressed, this slithering beast procreated My black snake hates everybody in bestial shadows pall Myself most of all! This is a song of peace ... of a time when there is no longer a need for war ... when mankind truly embraces mankind, when God-given peace reigns. Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream Words and music by Ed McCurdy Last night I had the strangest dream, I never dreamed before. I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war. I dreamed I saw a mighty room, The room was filled with men. And the paper they were signing said They'd never fight again. And when the paper was all signed, And a million copies made They all joined hands and bowed their heads, And grateful prayers were made. And the people in the streets below, Were dancing round and round. While swords and guns and and uniforms Were scattered on the ground. Last night I had the strangest dream, I’d ever dreamed before. I dreamed the world had all agreed To put an end to war.
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