Richard D. Preston

DANCIN’ WITH THE DEVIL

Under the cover of darkness
In July of sixty six
Attached to Company “K”
Somewhere in the Vietnam sticks

Around 0200 in the morning
We heard a hollow sound
Ripped open our canvas hooch
Scrambled for a ditch dug in the ground

The first round hit center camp
Then a second one could be heard
Explosions and rifle fire split the night
As they echoed through the Thundering Third

The third and fourth messenger of death
Shrieked through the thick night air
At first came the fear of dyin’
Then came the thousand-yard stare

Glowing hot white phosphorus
Lit up the darkness of the night
We could see the veins in our eyes
The explosions were so bright

Marines cast their eerie shadows
Black against the fiery glow
How many were to die that night
Only our God would surely know

The sky had loosed its demons
As it had so many nights before
Even the cherry boys of Company “K”
Became seasoned old men of war

We had a rendezvous with hell that night
Underneath a South-East Asian Moon
The devil and Marines danced to the wicked beat
Of the Vietcong’s hollow tune