THE WAR ITSELF

It isn't Charlie anymore
Not Army, Navy, Air Force, Corps
Viet Nam skies no longer roar
The enemy is now The War

The mortar shells no longer soar
The bombers drop their loads no more
No Flat Tops launching Jets off shore
The enemy is now The War

No trip wires to detonate
No tunnels to investigate
No missions sent to infiltrate
And still The War directs our fate

No longer days are terror filled
With seeing Brothers hurt or killed
Decades have passed, and lives rebuilt
And yet The War is iron willed

It's true we each suffer inside
And do our best not to collide
But when one turns his grace to pride
The War goes on as Fratricide

There was a many heated word
While we were over there occurred
But once in battle, we deferred
To unity which never blurred

We always had each other backed
We pledged that was a lifetime pact
So sadness falls as I redact
The War has found us and attacked

I'm tentative as I reveal
The heartache and the pain I feel
Without you, I will never heal
And one more life The War will steal

And I too will stand next to you
Whatever next we might go through
It's now not what we've done, but do
To end The War, and Peace renew

©Copyright March 28, 2006 by Tim Bone

Author’s Note: This came to me after having a lot of difficult thoughts and feelings this past month. March is always a tough month for me. I'm working on resolving why that is so. This is offered, with my heart attached, to all the members still here at the IWVPA. I respect, admire, and honor you for the dignified people of character you are. I am grateful to you, and I appreciate you – one and all. This poem is only my state of mind, and not meant to speak for anyone but myself. But if you identify, I hope I have added something worthwhile to this special site.