When Does it End

 

 

We had our own language, we learned it quick;

We used words like grunt, FNG and pungi stick.

Two days out of the bush I found myself home;

In a city full of people I felt alone.

 

People always ask, “What’s it like in war?”

You sit in a bar, you sit facing the door.

You pray that you forget after all the years;

My only battle now is fighting back the tears.

 

As a Point Man you’re trained to look out for dangers;

In a world of people all you meet are strangers.

A man robs a store, a Vietnam Vet he must be;

A doctor, hard hat or college student he can’t be.

 

I want to tell my wife of nightmares far away;

I’m afraid she’ll get scared and go away.

My kids play loud and for this I yell;

My wife and kids they share my hell.

 

At 18 years of age you patrolled in the mud;

Now at 39 you earn $7.00 for a pint of blood.

I came home a loser, that’s what they said;

I guess the winners were the ones that came home dead.

 

Michael D. Monfrooe

1988