The Voices of Our Fathers--another tale of Vietnam
curled up like a snail in a shell
shaking too much to pull
the bolt back on my M-!6
I knew they were coming through the wire
laying down heavy fire
and the bunker where I lay
would be in their way
when they tried to get to the other GIs
who were popping open their sleepy eyes
to the roar of mortar and AK rounds
and the horrid infinite sounds
of terror in their mortal skulls
guard duty, I had a duty
to do for them and not for me
but I could not make my arms do
what they knew they had to do
until…
I heard his voice
“Damn it, do something!!”
it was his voice…
not from his DC office**
12,000 miles from that black night
but there, louder than all my fright
in that bunker with me
“Damn it, do something!!!
his second command was all it took
and though my hands still shook
I jumped to my feet and my arms and
eyes did an elegant dance
had I been in a trance…?
until that second
when my own M-16
became the killing machine
it was ordained to be
the four I saw were spraying fire
at the holy hooches
behind me and at my sand bag fortress
my bolt was now back
my young thumb found the lever
for automatic fire and then forever
things were not the same
I had entered the lethal game
and three of the four lay silent
covered in warm night and dark blood
the fourth continued to fire at the huts
where others crouched in their own frozen fear
“Damn it…get him too!!”
yes, father, I’ll obey
and with a fresh clip of ammo
and now a steady hand
I sent him to some airless land
we all hear the voices
of those who gave us life
in days of calm and days of strife
and our feet and hands move at our will
but when they are frozen still
the master of those earthly hours
may be the ghostly powers
of a father whose voice
is crystal clear
many a year
after
his body is in hallowed ground
and he no longer utters a sound
**my father was at the Surgeon General's Office in Washington DC while I was in Vietnam--thus, the reference
The father's voice is central to us in these kind of moments. Powerful presentation of this. Strange and surprising that Vietnam War literature and art has almost universal meaning and depth for people. More so than any other conflict, I think.
Wow. Eloquent and too poignant. La, what a taste of war. I don't have the right words, but this is superb! Wish, oh, wish I could bookmark this and reread it. Awesome and so powerful, with wonderful imagery, beautifully recreating the horrible introduction. In a terrible way, wonderful. Thanks.
Very moving insight into something that my generation and those that follow should sit up and take notice of. The world today seems to be full of moaners and whiners who dont know the price of freedom or the ultimate cost. Thanks Jim for these words which should be read by all, and many thanks for going out there in the first place.