Richard D. Preston

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 man’s 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!