Don'T Talk Of War To Ruby Poem by Francis Duggan

Don't talk of war to Ruby or battles fought and won
In Vietnam in the late sixties she lost her only son
When he was only twenty the Vietcong killed her Dave
He was a noble young man and he died very brave.

She was a single mother she raised Dave on her own
His Father left her when she was pregnant loyalty by him to her not shown
She felt proud of her only child the bond between them strong
She still even grieves for him and oppose all wars as wrong.

Don't talk of war to Ruby with her that subject is taboo
And for that one can hardly blame her such sorrow she has been through
Because of her legacy of war she may be old and gray
But the anger at her sense of loss that she still feels from her won't go away.

Don't talk of war to Ruby of such she does not wish to hear
Although her son died bravely he was one without fear
But had he not joined the army he would be alive today
Though some believe in our destiny that we do not have a say.

Dave did not father a child that chance he never had
If he had survived the Vietnam war he may have become a dad
So don't talk of war to Ruby as all wars she oppose
Since war has ruined her happiness and of war's heartbreak she knows.