Childhood Heroes

As a child I watched the TV heroes and held them in awe,

John Wayne and the Rifleman were never beaten to the draw.

I watched TV soldiers and envied the life they led,

I joined up in the sixties and found reality instead.

War movies are exciting and can even make you cry,

Did you ever wonder why the hero never dies?

Rambo is a hero thanks to editing cuts,

The real heroes are the ones that shed their blood and guts.

For nearly 20 years we were to live in shame,

We marched in no parades for we were given the blame.

From the wide movie screen to the TV set,

Every actor young and old wants to play the vet.

Where were your heroes when we slept in the mud?

Our hands stained red with our buddies’ blood.

Wars would be easy if played by the rules,

Your comic book heroics made us look like fools.

Awards you may win for the part you read,

But in reality when you die you’re dead.

Michael D. Monfrooe

September 1987