Veterans of Foreign Wars
by Gary Jacobson © 2002
Veterans yet hear the distant rumble of echoes
Still feel memories shooting from furtive shadows
Still smell the choppers churning clouds of dust
Into the maws of hell by duty thrust
Still every night thru gunfire charging
Never forgetting
Selling his soul in fevered battle’s pit
Rushing headlong to war thru it
Thru stifling fears of blood and mud cussed
And discussed...
Because he must!
Why, oh why
Does he tears of remembrance cry
For boys so valiantly brave
Sent forth an imperiled world to save
Offering their all for the heart of freedom
In copious shadows of war’s maelstrom
By convictions forced to fight and almost die
His brothers interred in a black marble wall lie
Spirits at last in rest and peace sigh
Having fought the good fight for you and I
Battling despots craving for power's lust
Because he must!
Veterans advanced in a world of harm and danger
Forged ahead to meet the foe wielding hateful anger
Fetid smells of carnal death all around
Captured in every sound
No one can really know unless he was there
Unless he too for his country, arms did bear
Combating the life and death cliffhanger
Haunted yet by war’s fleshly Doppelgänger
Then, and now, to war no stranger
All life resting on his hair-trigger.
Veterans, once the hope of our nation
Answered in honored pride the call to action
Princes to the kingdom, sweet flowers of youth
Swept away to ride bestial ogres of war uncouth
Carried far and away by winds of war that blow
So our world in peaceful harmony might grow
Liberty’s sword to peoples of the earth bestow
Through foul weather and napalm’s breeze
Agent Orange defoliating life and trees
Through cruel war’s grim legacy leaves...
The veteran gave us his most priceless gift
Though war did unexpectedly his whole life shift
Duty bestowed by greater love
Blessed by the mercy of
Courageous by virtue of
Resolute in dedication of
Determined in hope of
Brave by the strength of
Undaunted valor in spite of
Heroic honor on the order of
Bold in the light of
Lionhearted because of
Mother, country, humanity, freedom, God above
Our very way-of-life, all interwove.
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Through pictures and poetry take a walk in "the park" with the 1st Air Cavalry on combat patrol. Experience the chilling reality that will give you the taste of "the Nam" on your tongue, leave the pungent smell of "the Nam" in your nostrils, and imbed textures of "the Nam" in your brain as though you were walking beside me in combat.