A Soldier’s Poem

 

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I had just arrived on Artillery Hill feeling a little up tight,
It was Vietnamese New Year and the VC were ready to fight,
Tet came in the Spring of their year, usually in January,
And we were expecting attacks everywhere, as customary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Soldier’s Poem

 

 

 

 

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It t’was the night before Tet and all through the hootch,
Not a soldier was sleeping, not even Ajax, our pooch.
We were on yellow alert in our attack eminent mode,
In full combat gear with M16s in full lock and load.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We heard the Woof of an incoming rocket so loud,
And we all headed for the bunkers our heads in a cloud,
The Master Sergeant was there passing out ammunition,
Belts with extra loaded M16 clips causing a big commotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The buzz was that VC had been spotted in the tangle wire,
Which resulted in all the perimeter small weapons fire.
There were several dead VC bodies reported out there,
That were cutting entry holes in the wire everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We were directed to a location near to the perimeter,
And I was put on an M60 machine gun sitting there,
And given a quick lesson on how to fire that mean machine.
I knew I could handle it even if I was just a bit green.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was very black out that night sitting there in the dark,
I thought I saw some movement and a sound like a bark,
So I cut loose with a 5 second spray from my M60 then.
I wasn’t sure whether I had hit anything so I fired again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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As sun came over the mountains in bright orange streaks,
I could see that I had killed a dog making me feel weak.
I regretted that I had shot that poor mangy hound,
Laying in a pool of red blood out there on the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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They sounded the all clear and I went on back to my hootch,
Still feeling bad about shooting that poor old pooch,
I guess there were many innocent victims of that war,
But to my knowledge, a dog was the only thing I killed there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I got some sleep and felt better after I woke on up,
And went to the mess hall for my dinner and a cup,
Of coffee tasting so good as we were on green alert again.
So things felt somewhat normal which to me was a win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There was shrapnel all over the air strip paved runway,
And four VC bodies were in the wire I heard someone say.
As it turned out, one of the bodies was a barber on the hill,
That had shaved me with a straight razor oh what a thrill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After that, I thought it was going to be a rough year,
But the big guns there on Artillery Hill dealt a lot of fear,
Into the hearts of the VC so they didn’t get too near,
So there was not too much action there, making me cheer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By Bill

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for reading A Soldiers Poem.
Bill