"Christmas in Viet Nam" - A Poem from Nearly 20 Years Ago

bucho (63)in #poetry • 7 years ago

(Photo by Baker McKenzie)

I wrote a lot of poetry back during my undergrad days, but once I found that I enjoyed doing fiction more, I never picked it back up (despite filling a huge notebook with well-transcribed versions along with accompanying images). Since Steemit seems to have a thriving (and growing) poetry community, I thought I'd add a little fuel to that particular fire. I hope you enjoy :)

While Christ is on crutches,
The dogs of war munch
On three-day old rations
and holiday punch.
Because they won't be home for Christmas.

Presents pass out during guard duty
Somehow demoralize the happy season
With burning locals and burning trees
And no phoenix rising from their ashes.

21-gun salutes are the only carols sung
And decks of cards marking the kills
Are the only ornaments seen throughout the firefall.

The stockings are hung by the campfire with care
Because you must take good care of your feet.
For if the blister that's festered tests your patience
and pops...
The New Year is gonna suck for you, private.