The Vietnam Years

 

It’s the year two thousand three

And it still hasn’t left me

This nightmare called South Vietnam

Thirty-five years

And three million tears

Still smelling the stench of napalm

 

Four hundred and twenty months

Keep hitting all at once

One hell of a weight to carry

Three hundred eighty two days

Doing it Uncle Sam’s way

Got thousands of my brothers buried

 

Twenty-four hours a day

Livin’ in a drug induced haze

Another war called PTSD

There must be a better way

I’d rather just fade away

But there’s loved ones depending on me

 

Got a band of Brothers

We depend on each other

Recognizable by the look in our eyes

We all look the same

We all shoulder the blame

We spent time under the Vietnam sky

 

All the monsoon rains

Can’t wash away the pain

As we stare at that black granite Wall

And if in weakness we stumble

Because our knees start to crumble

There are Brothers to help you stand tall

 

I’ve found time knows no limits

Seconds turn to minutes

While months turn into years

Soon it will be time to sky up

Drink from the blessed silver cup

And leave behind the Vietnam fears

 

 

Leave behind the Vietnam years

Leave behind the Vietnam years

Leave behind the Vietnam years

 

Boon

July 27,  2003