Peace On Earth? Poem by B. V. Dahlen

A Christmas star? A mortar shell
Is bursting overhead.
My buddies on reconnaissance
The wise men that it led.
A splintered palm with broken fronds,
On it no tinsel gleams,
Just dog tags that some friends have hung.
(our Christmas tree it seems.)
No turkey filled with stuffing,
Cold rations are our feast,
And maybe a small candy bar
A touch of home at least.
So far away from those we love
Into the jungle deep,
It's not because of Santa Claus
We find we can not sleep.
We're dreaming of the folks back home,
The gleaming, steaming tom.
Even the strongest in his sleep
Will slip, and whisper, 'Mom'?
Christmas is a time of peace.
Oh why can't it be so?
Over here in Viet Nam
That's what we'd like to know.