War Of The Dead Poem by Ted Sheridan

Last night as the tropical rain washed away the bloody day
I dreamed I was in the army and there was another war to fight
It was almost exactly the same as the last war in which I fought
I was in a jungle and the enemy was wearing black pajamas
The smell of opium and reefer was in the air and our eyes
Had been dilated to the max by the 'beautiful lady' Belladonna
In the hopes that we would see the bullet with our name on it
Coming at us in the night
As we laid there praying to go home and back to the World
As we laid together in a row with each one of us facing the unknown
However there was this one distinct difference of which I took note
This time I was in the nude and lying next to my wife
In a comfortable bed unarmed and unprepared for hand to hand
My fingers felt the soft flesh of her thigh as she slept
Instead of the cold steel of my weapon's trigger warmed and ready to fire
The enemy I had so feared years ago
Shouted at me from behind the rubber trees and vines
I could recognize their faces and the sound of their voices
It was much the same as the last war.....
Except this time they all knew my name
And I knew theirs....
Back in the World of The Dead