Part Nine

Vietnam: Mothers Voice

He went away, to war, that

Autumn day
I watched him out my

Window …

He sang a song, called

Vietnam
And I’m not sure if

He whistled.

Ah yes, my eyes had

Tears
But he couldn’t have guessed

That so…

For I held them deep inside

My chest
And the pain

He never knew.

My boy, my boy who sings

So sweet
And pitiful proud was

I…

But a mother has to let

Life flow—, you know
Be it God’s will, her

Son should die!

For peace is bought with love

And tears—
Cheers and

Broken hearts…

But death is always far

Too near—
Far too near:

God, if it be Thy Will.

Part Ten

Vietnam: Carry-on Soldier!

I gave them my best
Out of the jungles of doubt;
To help the fella’s in America out!

(Where life is worth living,

no doubt!)

Believe in your mission—
That is what I heard; then:

“Carry-on soldier; carry-on….!”

It’s easy to fight, if you think

It is right—!
It’s a different song, if you think

It is wrong—!

But all I heard was:

“Carry-on Soldier, carry-on!”

Part Eleven

Vietnam: the Cross [1975]

And so, the war is now over
Mothers are now with their sons;
And the grieving has ended for many,
And for some, it has just begun.

Smile and try to be happy
Even thought peace was not the prize
For in the valley of hope we have given
Our brave and lovely boys.

Note: these are poems #645 through #656/5/2005