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Dept of Defense: www.army.mil 
Unanswered Questions Give me back the man I married, not this shell-shocked version, staring somewhere off into the distance, afraid of his own shadow, of the moon, of arms reaching out intent only on caring, distrusting all who come too close to the thorn embedded in his heart. Where were you when I knelt, praying "Bring him home to me alive and well, not battered, beaten, incessantly dreaming of ghosts dressed in black pajamas, grinning... slithering through jungle grasses, thick-as-thieves patiently waiting to hear him screaming, waking sweating, merely to do it all again"? What love is this that kills his spirit, not that I should denounce you, seeking revenge; but that I would understand your reasoning that I might nurse the wounds buried within, to help revive his faith, severed and dying... devoured to this day by the maggots of war? What love is this that slowly kills his children? What, my God, were they fighting for?
Like a Thief in the Night I look into your shining eyes.... The proverbial window to your soul And I see within it there A treasure far greater than gold... A look of purest innocence With no memories yet of war No visions of death and dying Beyond our own front door Those deer-in-the-headlight orbs Tug on my yearning heart Wishing I could take them back there To those days before the park When all they saw were love Compassion, faith and hope Your bright and shining future.... Not the end of your worn rope... Tethered ‘tween living and dying Unsure of which road to take All hope from your heart draining That living would any difference make No one cared...or so you thought If you took your own life or not Your eyes had seen too many dying Lying upon the field to rot Too many wished you dead, too Hated you for killing their own For burning their homes to the ground Wishing you would just go home You fought to preserve freedom For your homeland far away But were spit upon and wondered, "What happened to yesterday?" "No one can ever know", you said, What this soldier’s eyes have seen. Until he becomes like the living dead, No one can know what I mean." You lost your faith on that foreign shore Saw it disappear into the hollow eyes Of the buddy who died in your arms While your prayers echoed on silent skies Gone now is that childlike innocence That treasure I see in your eyes today Staring back at me from your photo there Taken before man’s inhumanity stole it away.
Regrets I should have paid more attention so many years ago... but I just didn't want to listen... I just didn't want to know. The conflict was finally over and I didn't give a damn 'bout all your new-found buddies when you spoke of Vietnam. I didn't want to listen then to things that happened there "What good would it do?" I asked to your sad and distant stare. I said, "Why can't you let it rest? Just forget about it now. You're back home in the USA. It's all over anyhow." You clammed up tight and went to bed as I swept the kitchen floor. I thought 'twas only just the wind when I heard that slamming door. When morning came, I saw you there just staring at your gun. "Oh, Lord, No!" I thought, "Not again! What's done is done is done!" "Dwelling on it ain't gonna help, you know, and all that drinkin' neither! Why don't you just go for a walk and give me a little breather!" Without a word, you started for the door then turned to me as if to speak. I said, "Well? What's the matter now? You've been acting strange all week!" You just shrugged your shoulders, turning. I didn't notice the door... how slowly it closed that day... how you turned, looking back once more. I should have noticed the look in your eyes when I glanced back at you... Turning away, I didn't notice you had taken your bullets, too.
"Double Tap Award for War Poetry". Click on award to visit the archives. 
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