RVN Poetry Page 2

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

RVN Poetry

by William Hodder

A Company 3/187^th Infantry 101^st ABN DIV

B Company 1/22^nd Infantry 4^th INF DIV

Republic of Vietnam

November 1968 / November 1969

11 BRAVO
LET ME
TAKE YOU
BACK

"DON'T MEAN NUTTIN"

ONE OF THE DOOR'S I HEARD TODAY AND THIS POPPED IN MY HEAD.

B-52'S BOMBING ON THE RIDGE

GROUND GOING UP AND DOWN,

VC, NVA BODY PARTS SCATTER,

GETTING SHORT,

FOG FILLED THE VALLEY,

OR WAS IT SMOKE.. .FROM ALL THE GUN FIRE.

WHAT'S GOING ON BACK IN THE WORLD,

DON'T MEAN NUTTIN,

TO US OVER HERE,

TURN YOUR BACK IF YOU MUST,

WE LIVE AND DIE,

FOR THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE,

JUST LET US BE.

THEY BUILD THE LONG BLACK WALL,

IT BROUGHT OUT THE TEARS,

HELPED US HEAL...BROUGHT US CLOSER,

AND ALSO TO REMEMBER.. .NEVER FORGET.

THOSE THAT WALKED THE BOONIES,

WILL NEVER FORGET.

NEVER FORGET...

**********************

MY LORD

THE MUD HAD DRIED

UPON MY BOOTS,

THE BLOOD STAINS

ALL BUT FADED

I CRAWLED TO HIDE

AND, GUESS I DIED,

THEY LEFT ME

ON THE FIELD OF GLORY.

I STILL PRAY

YOU'LL COME AND FIND ME.

I'M WITH YOU NOW

WITH YOU MY LORD.

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP.

**********************

TWO LIPS FINALLY MEET AT LAST

ONE YEAR OF CORRESPONDENCE HAS COME TO AN END.

THEY ARE MUCH CLOSER THAN TWO LOVERS

THEY ARE MOTHER AND SON.

THE SON A YEAR SPENT AWAY FROM HOME

AND NOT TO MENTION ALL THE FEAR

THE MOTHER, THE THOUGHT, NOT KNOWING.

THEY ARE A FAMILY ONCE AGAIN,

GUESS YOU COULD SAY.

THEY ALL SERVED THEIR COUNTRY WELL.

NO 6:00 P.M. NEWS TONIGHT,

HER SON HAS LANDED ON SAFE GROUND.

PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED.

THEIR REUNION,

PRICELESS.

**********************

ON THAT NEW YEAR'S NIGHT

LANDED IN NAM, HOT AS A B-I-T-C-H,

WE ALL WENT TO OUR ASSIGNED UNITS,

AND SOME HUNG AROUND,

AND BURNED ALL OUR SH**,

OUT TO OUR UNIT, UP ON A HILL

WE ALL THOUGHT, THIS WAS NO BIG DEAL.

THEY LOADED US DOWN, WITH ALL KINDS OF SH**,

HANDED ME THE 60, SAID THIS IS YOUR SQUAD.

WASN'T TOO LONG AFTER, WE'RE OUT IN THE BOONIES,

THANKSGIVING WAS SOON COMING,,

WE ALL THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE FUN,

WE ALL SAT ON THE GROUND, MY 60 AT MY SIDE,

ONLY FIFTY YARDS OUTSIDE THE WIRE.

NOT MUCH HAPPENED THAT DAY,

WE DID HAVE A HOT MEAL, THIS TIME INSIDE THE WIRE.

NEW YEAR'S CAME, THERE WAS A CEASE FIRE,

BUT WE STILL HEARD THUMP-THUMP OUTSIDE THE WIRE.

THE 60'S AND 16'S AND ALSO THE AK'S

WERE PRETTY MUCH SILENT,

ON THAT NEW YEAR'S NIGHT.

**********************

'VETERANS DAY"

VETERANS DAY

IS FAST APPROACHING,

TIME TO RAISE

THE FLAG, UP HIGH.

SOME WILL TIP

A FEW WITH

BROTHERS FROM

THE PAST.

I CELEBRATE

MOSTLY EVERYDAY

AND THE FREEDOMS

WE ENJOY.

A DAY TO REST

THESE OLD BONES,

AND DO SOME

REFLECTING,

AND PRAYING FOR ALL

THOSE THAT DIDN'T

MAKE IT HOME...

GOD BLESS AMERICA

AND THE FREEDOMS

THAT WE HAVE...

**********************

HE SAID I'LL LOVE
THIS COUNTRY
TILL I DIE.
HIS DOG TAGS
HUNG AROUND HIS NECK
TATTERED AND TORN
UNIFORM,
FROM BREAKING BRUSH
OUT IN THE BOONIES,
A YOUNGSTER WHEN
IT ALL STARTED
WRINKLED SKIN
AND DIRTY HANDS,
BOOTS BROWN
LIKE HIS TANNED SKIN.
HE STOPPED FIGHTIN
FOR FREEDOM TODAY.
THEY PLACED A WREATH
UPON HIS PARENTS' DOOR
SOON THEY'LL
CARRY HIM AWAY
UP THE HILL TO
ARLINGTON.
HIS NAME WILL
APPEAR ON THE
BLACK WALL.
PARENTS AND LOVED ONES
WILL MORN.
THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
AND HIS COUNTRY
WILL NEVER END.
A FRIEND AT THE GRAVE SITE SAID,
I'LL PICK UP HIS WEAPON
AND FINISH THE FIGHT...

**********************

GREETINGS' (DON'T RUN GUYS)

GREETINGS - JUNE 11, 1968 UN-OFFICIAL
DRAFT NOTICE
DRAWN UP BY
DO-WE, CHEATUM & HOW
GREETINGS....

YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED
FROM WHICH THERE ARE SO FEW
MANY HAVE CHOSEN TO RUN
BUT WE SELECTED YOU
TO JOIN YOUR FELLOW COUNTRYMEN
AND SERVE YOUR COUNTRY WELL.
YOU'LL BE HEROES IN YOUR FAMILYS' EYES,
AND FAILURES IN MANY OTHERS.
WE'VE DONE ALL THE BACKGROUND CHECKS
YOUR CLEARANCE, STAMPED ON YOUR FILE,
WILL TRAIN AND FEED YOU EVERYDAY
AND DON'T FORGET THE GREAT PAY$$$$,
WILL DRESS YOU ALL IN GREEN.
IT'S YOUR BODY, NOT YOUR BRAIN, WE WANT
YOUR BRAIN WILL BE TRAINED LATER.
THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE ENDLESS.
YOU'LL MEET EXOTIC PEOPLE,
SOME THAT WANT TO KILL YOU,
DON'T WORRY MUCH BOUT THAT
YOU'LL HAVE LOTS OF BROTHERS
TO BACK YOU UP.
WILL EVEN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BREAK
HALF WAY THRU YOUR STAY,
I THINK I'LL CALL IT R & R.
AND WHEN WE DO SEND YOU HOME
WILL FILL YOUR CHEST FULL OF MEDALS.
YEARS FROM NOW,YOU'LL LOOK BACK,
AND SAY, HELL IT WASN'T THAT BAD.
FOR MANY OF YOU, WILL GIVE YOU DRUGS
FOR YOUR F*****-UP HEAD
AND SEND YOU ON YOUR WAY.
THIRTY OR MORE YEARS FROM THIS DATE,
YOU'LL FIND SOME OF YOUR BROTHERS.
AND MAYBE, MAYBE ONE DAY
THEY'LL HAVE A PARADE FOR ALL OF YOU.
BUT UNTIL SUCH TIME,
YOU CAN CHECK OUT THAS A.O. WWW.IVYDIVISION.COM
THEY'RE CALLED THE "BAND OF OTHERS"
AND AS ALL OF YOU START TO FRFLECT
ON YOUR TOUR OF DUTY.
I THINK I'LL CLOSE FOR NOW,
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
YOU SEE I'M A BUSY MAN
CHASING ALL THOSE OTHERS,

SINCERELY YOURS,
UNCLE SAM

**********************

WE LIVE WITH THE NIGHTMARE, EVERY NIGHT

WAS THAT A DREAM, OR REALITY.

IN THE TRIPLE CANOPY JUNGLE

THAT WALK THRU OUR MIND

OR ARE WE BACK IN NAM.

AT NIGHT WE WAKE, IN A COLD SWEAT

JUNGLE ALL AROUND

HEAVY SMOKE TRAPED FROM ABOVE

WELCOME BACK TO VIETNAM.

WE REMEMBER THOSE

THAT WERE LOST,

OR ARE WE THE LOST ONES,

SEE YOU AGAIN, TONIGHT.

**********************

WORDS OF LOVE SOFT AND TENDER

FOR EVERY WORD

THAT GOES UNSPOKEN

PUSHING YOU DEEPER

INTO DEPRESSION,

YOUR MIND CAN

TELL YOU WHERE

YOU'VE BEEN,

BUT MOST OF ALL

OF WHAT YOU'VE SEEN

WE CAN'T HELP

WHEN WORDS

AREN'T SPOKEN,

LEAN ON THOSE

THAT HAVE SEEN

THE SAME HELL,

LIKE YOU

AND MANY OTHERS,

ARE HEARTS AND MINDS

ARE ALWAYS OPEN,

AND THE PRICE...

IS JUST YOUR FRIENDSHIP...

**********************

GRUNTS

WE WALKED WHERE ALL THE HEROES FELL.

IF YOU WERE QUIET, YOU COULD HEAR THEIR YELLS.

WE WERE THERE WHILE OTHERS RAN

O'L KISSIE AND HANOI WERE HAVING THEIR TALKS

THE MILITARY IN VIETNAM WERE KEP IN THE DARK.

JANE WENT TO HANOI KISSING THEIR BUTTS

THE GUYS IN THE FIELD JUST CALLED HER A 'TRAITOR".

THE FOLKS AT HOME, SOME FOR, SOME AGAINST.

WE WENT TO FIGHT COMMIES BUT THAT WAS A LIE, WE JUST WANTED

SURVIVAL, NOT DEATH.

NOW WE TALK ON THE PC WITH ONE ANOTHER

WE ALL DID OUR DUTY AND CAME HOME AS BROTHERS.

THE CHANCE THAT WE'LL SEE EACH OTHER ARE SLIM TO NONE AND

ALL I CAN SAY

IS NONE OF US DID RUN...

**********************

CRAYOLA SCRIBBLE....

HI, WE FINALLY MEET AT LAST,

YOU'RE THAT SPECK OF DUST

YOUR DADDY ALWAYS SPOKE OF,

IT'S BEEN OVER THIRTY YEARS,

I EVEN BROUGHT SOME PHOTOS

THAT'S YOUR DAD, DOING WHAT

HE ALWAYS DID.

READING YOUR MOMMA'S LETTER,

SAID IT'S WHAT KEPT HIM GOING.

A LITTLE JOKE ABOUT YOUR DAD,

"AT NIGHT WE HAD TO COVER HIS

FACE, THE GLOW WAS OH SO BRIGHT

HE'D READ YOUR MOMMA'S LETTER

MOSTLY BY HIMSELF.

A SINGLE TEAR RAN DOWN HIS CHEEK

HE SAID IT WAS A SPECK OF DUST,

BUT WE ALL KNEW BETTER,

HE WAS THE ONE

THAT HELD US ALL TOGETHER,

SORT OF LIKE, A BIG BROTHER.

I REMEMBER MOST OF ALL

WHAT WAS WRITTEN AT THE END

OF EACH LETTER, WAS THAT

CRAYOLA SCRIBBLE

HE ALWAYS SAID IT MEANT

I LOVE YOU DADDY,

MAYBE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE MEET

LETS DO IT AT THE WALL

AND I'LL BRING THE

CRAYOLA

**********************

CLUTCHING IN.........."

A COMBAT VETERAN PASSED

LAST WEEK.

HE PASSED PEACEFULLY

WHILE IN HIS SLEEP,

HIS WIDOW SAID.

"CLUTCHING IN HIS HAND

SO TIGHT"

A C.I.B. HE EARNED.

ON ONE OF THOSE

DARK DARK NIGHT

THE WORD WAS OUT, THE DAY WAS SET.

FLAG DRAPED COFFIN,

THEN HE WAS LAID TO REST.

THE CEMETERY WAS FULL

OF VETS.

A LONELY HUEY HAPPENED BY,

IT LANDED OH SO CLOSE.

SOME SAY THERE WERE SMOKY

FIGURES INSIDE.

SOME SAW A SHADOW BOARD,

SOME "OLD VET" WAS HEARD TO SAY,

THEY'RE HEADED OFF TO SEE THE LORD.

**********************

ALL THOSE NAMES,

ETCHED ON THE WALL,

ALL THOSE UNTOLD STORIES,

WILL HAVE TO WAIT.

WE'LL MEET ONE DAY,

THEN THEY'LL TELL THEIR STORY,

AND FOR THOSE

WHO WERE NOT THERE,

YOUR EARS, WILL HEAR SILENCE

**********************

MY SON IS IN THE AIR.

FT. HOOD IS WHERE

WE'LL MEET,

I WISH THAT YOU

WOULD JOIN US,

YOU SAY ITS YOUR

HEALTH,

BUT YOU KNOW YOU'RE

NEVER REALLY ALONE,

YOU'VE GOT THE

"BAND OF OTHERS",

WHEN SON AND I

DO MEET,

NO SPECK OF DUST

THIS TIME,

I'LL THANK GOD

GIVE A BIG HUG,

AND,

WEEP & WEEP & WEEP

**********************

JUST A DREAM, JUST A DREAM"

THAT SILKY SMOOTH

WARM SKIN,

THAT YOU USED TO

FONDLE TIGHTLY,

YOU TASTE HER LIPS

AND SMELL HER HAIR

A BODY SLEEK

AND GENTLE,

WAS IN YOUR DREAMS

ON THAT DARK NIGHT,

OUT ON GREEN EYES,

THEN A NUDGE

UPON YOUR SHOULDER,

THE DREAM WAS GONE

BUT NOT THE MEMORY.

YOUR TURN FOR GUARD,

AGAIN.

I STILL DAY DREAM

ABOUT THAT FIRST TIME,

THE WARMTH OF

INNOCENCE,

WAY BACK THEN,

BUT THE SOFT SMOOTH BODY

IS NOW, LIKE FINE WINE...