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by Gary Jacobson © September 2005 From the last helicopter rising from Saigon's embassy Look down into upturned eyes that'll haunt in infamy Say last farewell to Nam, by golden sunrise kissed Fading fast in sweetly dawning mist See haunted eyes ridden with great guilt See terrified eyes with trusting years of loving built. Look down. See the Republic of Vietnam below you dying Abandoned women, children, Vietnamese crying Wipe away tears welling in tough warrior eyes Anguishing events unfolding below in bitter surprise Observing the age of unreason That catastrophic season. Goodby to Vietnam’s final day in fading glory Passing long in memory I'll remember your story Sweet and sour caustic smoke belching Reams of document remnant’s incinerating. Nam, I’ve felt your slings and poisoned arrow Witnessed fading freedom rising, falling as a sparrow. Now, NVA forever silenced freedom’s bell Their colored tracers blazing frenetic farewell The last shot fired from darkning jungled hell. From my retreating helicopter they light a forlorn sky Looking down on the dispossessed I cry Fading fast, I can still hear humanity sigh. I mourn yet today, for that faraway place called Vietnam Sweet-and-sour perfumed cities, rotting jungle charm Soil nourished by American blood by virulent war rent Over ten years of youth’s treasure there spent What forever pain and sorrow borne there In bloodstained decades roiling hatred’s ensued there. O give a last hurrah to fading Vietnam From the last helicopter to arise from dying Nam Hovering for one last glance, as if loathe to admit defeat Languishing in confused anger, then beating a hasty retreat Hearts in throats, lasting tears in eyes bore Forsaken the country so many lived and died for. Hold fast the memory of lost souls within The greatest brothers who've ever been Unashamedly have you loved them In war’s madness, offered your life for them. Grasp one fleeting second to embrace those left behind From insane hated war, remember eyes so kind. Now Jack-boots starkly pound the square Where we once walked the walk, way o'er there. Freedom's now long lost ... or forgot Vietnam's leaders eschewing Democracy we begot Shaped by hammering in suffering, we tooth and nail fought. What 0 what, have we so tearfully wrought?
 This poem, "Say Last Farewell to Nam," is a recipient of the International War Veterans’ Poetry Archives "Double Tap Award." Thank You for this esteemed recognition!  Vote for "Vietnam Picture Tour," as a top military site! 
Click the Combat Infantry Badgeto go to my Vietnam Poetry index, each poem with more action graphics and Pictures 
from the lens of a combat infantryman! |
