The Dance of the Viper

To live among swamp of the jungle green

Where danger lurks, death lies unseen

You take your chances with each breath you take

Beware what rock overturns,

What branch you shake….

Vietnam was not the hometown zoo

The wilds were untamed and often cruel

Brothers we were and we shared the pain

What the Vietcong didn’t kill,

The jungle claimed….

The Viper was quiet as it slithered in

Beneath the poncho that covered Corporal Jim

He didn’t stir he was just catching some Z’s

We heard a cough and Jim rose to his knees

He stood up shaking as the pit viper fell

And let out a wail and a blood curdling yell

Ran for his life, but we’d seen this before

He did the dance of the viper,

Two-steps no more

He hit the ground and violently shook

30 seconds later  he wore a dead mans look

It happened so fast, no chance to fight

And the Viper slithered off

Into the dark green night

Just another story that had to be told

Of a silent killer with blood so cold

Deep in the jungle we dared make no plans

To leave this tropical paradise known as

Viet-Fucking-Nam!

Boon 4/15/02