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Susan K. Rowse

Viet Nam Souls...for Don

Viet Nam made me cold
It cut my heart and made men bold
It took our boys and made them heroes
Their homes an earthy dug out foxhole
It took a lad of innocence
Broke his hope...made him derelict
They were our sons, brothers, friends
We brought them back with minds to mend
Hopes dashed upon the earth
Viet Nam dirges and horrors birthed
Their honor...ours...their blood is gone
It wears upon the Vets old bones
Tell me God why did it bode
Upon the souls of kids that rode
With mainstreamed honor and calls of war
Those so helpless...gone so far
Away from home and given ghosts
When apathy was their only host
Their yells of help and promised lands
When wars were wars of tired old men