Vietnam Poem by Carla J Nelson

They went to war
At the behest of The Man
Ensconced in an office
Oval and grand
And were stripped
Of their innocence
In the jungles of ‘Nam.

They weren't prepared
For the horrors they saw.
The death and the maiming
Agent Orange and all.
While back home
Protesters marched
And objectors fled from the call.

Tens of thousands of lives
And innumerable dreams
Were squandered in those jungles
Via Guerilla War schemes
And those who came home
Were met with indifference
Or diabolical screams.

It was a hellish war
That should never have been
Foisted on our young
By pompous, misguided men.
If only - IF ONLY
We had vowed
NEVER AGAIN!