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Daysleeper
Member
since 2000-04-23
Posts 119


0 posted 2000-04-28 10:39 PM



~~~ The Command ~~~

He gave the command,
It left his lips,
It tore the silent air.
It scorched his throat,
It teared his eyes,
But he knew he couldn't care.

He was the one to smash the dam,
It was he who snapped the wire.
All Hell broke loose because of him,
And all he said was "Fire!"

He felt the bullets more then heard,
He saw his men struck down.
His rifle kicked again, again.
He felt his own heart pound.

"Dear God," He prayed,
"Please stop this!
Stop this madness that we've made!
Oh God!" He cried again, again,
"Don't let us die today!"

His rifle dropped from shell-shocked hands,
The air stood still and deep,
He forced up his red rimmed eyes,
He ignored how his own blood seeped.
From far up on the rolling hills
Down to the green rice-mire,
He screamed his judgement up to God,
He wept and shouted "Liar!"

(Author's note: I'm really too young to have experianced the feelings of the Vietnam war, but this poem came from a story told to me by a hungry-eyed Veteran upon my visit to the Wall. I was intriuged by the challenge and by the other submissions.)


 "Presently I've had enough of all your sanity." -James Kavanaugh


© Copyright 2000 Elizabeth Stephens - All Rights Reserved
Jeffrey Carter
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Member Elite
since 2000-04-08
Posts 2367
State of constant confusion!
1 posted 2000-04-28 11:51 PM


You conveyed the frustration that in my mind must have been ever present in Vietnam. Although I cannot say that from experience.
Thank you for posting this.

All my love,
Jeffrey

 I lie awake in a world filled with dreams,
but dreams can be so real when you don't know you're asleep

Elfgirl
New Member
since 2000-04-28
Posts 1

2 posted 2000-04-28 11:52 PM


wow, daysleeper. this is very powerful for a young person. you have a talent with emotion and words. thank you for posting this, i think it's excellent.
Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
3 posted 2000-04-29 10:38 AM


DaySleeper~
Wow .. what a vivid portrayal of the feelings of so many survivors of the wars.
This is powerful.
Shows me that you don't have to have been in the war zone ... to feel another's pain.
Thank you for sharing it with us.
~*Marge*~


 ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com


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