‘Nam :: Northern Colorado Gazette

May 27, 2011

‘Nam

Take a man and put him alone,

put him twelve thousand miles from home.

Empty his heart of all but blood,

make him live in sweat, in mud.

This is the life I have to live,

and what may I ask, will you give?

You have your parties and drink your beer,

while young men are dying over here.

Plant your signs on the Whitehouse lawn;

“Let’s all get out of Viet Nam.”

Wave your signs and have your fun,

then you refuse to use a gun.

There’s nothing else for you to do,

then I’m supposed to die for you.

There is one thing that you don’t know;

and that’s where I think you should go.

I’m already here and it’s too late.

I’ve traded all my love for hate.

I’ll hate you till the day I die,

you made me hear my buddy cry.

I saw his leg and his blood shed,

then I heard them say “This one’s dead.”

it was a large price for him to pay,

to let you live another day.

He had the guts to fight and die,

to keep the freedom you live by.

By his dying, your life he buys,

but who really cares if a Marine dies.

Found in the pocket of a dead Marine.

Quang Tri Province, Viet Nam, June 7, 1969

Trackback • Posted by Jack Minor in Community category

heyjude says:

May 28, 2011 at 9:19 am

thank you jack, i also have a copy of this and read it several times a year. it is sad that so many young people don’ know what this holiday is about..
Not My Name says:

June 18, 2011 at 7:19 pm

Obviously not the Government who sent him to be a murder in the name of the Walmart and Starbucks. You keep calling them heroes, they’ll keep sending them to die. There is nothing heroic in doing the devil’s work.