Thelma N. Shutters

A SEARCH FOR TRUTH

As I sit here in my chair today
Staring at the flag they gave
The day we laid my brother down
In the little graveyard outside of town
While in his youth he had returned
From Vietnam where he did his term
Where our country sent him long ago
To protect and serve us here at home
Though he came home in three years
On the naval ship the USS Rainier
Soon the years rolled slowly by
His small body withered up and died
Agent Orange we call it call today
Though compensation they don’t pay
From prostate cancer to PCT
Melanomas, Asbestos and more of these
The many pesticides that we sprayed
Quickly shortened my brothers days
I have fought long and hard to find
Out the truth before I lost my mind
But to no avail was there any help
So I had to take it upon myself
All I got from those way up high
Was falsified records to out and out lies
It’s not service related they always said
So tell me why my brothers` dead
Now I’ll turn this over to the Lord above
In the memory of my brothers love

Author’s Note: In the memory of Thomas E. Schlup: January 21, 1947 ~ November 10, 2000