Rhymes of an Ordnance Man
[Vietnam War: 1971]
An eleven part poem
By Dennis L. Siluk
I had went to Vietnam at the age of 23 [1971], and it was most interesting, there were 205,000 troops there when I arrived. I was asked recently at a lecture [question and answer] at a University in Peru, Huancayo, at the Los Andes, Language Center, how I liked it. Most of the students expected me to be down right rigid with my remarks, I think. But the first thing that came to mind was, '...war is a high," and so I expressed that to the students, they were a ting surprised. And so in this poem I try to outline a few of the more normal occurrences, and include the highs one may find in everyday soldiering in a war area:
Part One
Vietnam: Guard Duty at Dusk
? I paced along the wired fence
Quietly all night;
There was no stars, no moon
Just timid darkness for my light?
I glanced from tree to tree
I glanced from bush to bush
I saw a shadow moving
That never said a word:
"Halt, who goes there?" I cried. But he
Never heard me, I wondered why (?)
Oh, I called him several times,
As I walked the path alone;
And I watched and watched-but
Never saw the foliage move.
I ordered him against the fence
The sorry skies were dark like flint;
He heard the click from my rifle go
And cried like a morbid child.
O, I had no time to tarry-.
So I said, once and for all:
"Clasp your hands against the fence,
Or they'll find you dead tomorrow!"
I dreamed about that evil night
Now crowded with the dead;
War is not all love and laughter
-he never clasped his hands!
#645 5/2005
Part Two
Vietnam: The Frightful Fool
(Dedicated to the Los Andes Students)
"This is not a game," I said
And he quivered his looks away;
All the schooling he has in his head,
Will do for another day?.
"Run and hide," I cried;
The rockets whistle, isn't for school.
D'ye think he'd listen? Na,
Not much:
So I screamed "Wakeup Fool!"
With a cup of grief his way?!
?for there's no glory to die in
Vietnam; for a country that
Sweeps it soul away!...
And so the fearful fool awoke,
To live another day!...
In this game called face the foe
In the far-off jungles by
The South China Sea.
Part Three
Vietnam: Red Silence
I cannot silence, though I try
The sound of rockets in the sky;
Hurls at us in five-ton trucks:
The odyssey, of staying alive.
Yet, life is still a joy-and all is well?
(As we make earth our little hell).
Lo!
We who hear war's red silence
(And are still alive to tell)
Lift up your eyes, see heaven,
Get out of the mud, awhile.
In fact, I didn't mind the horrors of war
For that is what we were there for;
Rather, I hated the mud, rain and grime;
And the shrapnel at times.
Part Four
Vietnam: Heroin-day
And I found in the open jungle
Golden light and golden peace
Dwelling!
A thousand birds were singing!
I forgot, I was here to fight
To fight like a devil if need be.
I was in a fog-day-dreaming;
Kissing wenches amongst the
Glare and the grime, and trees.
I lay my rifle down to bit
To join the other dreamers yet
Dancing on top of a tin-roofed hut;
As if we were all crazy or nuts.
Fighting: was a far, far cry.
I never knew if the enemy was
Nearby!...
Note: #646 5/11/2005
Part Five
Vietnam: Going Home
I'm goin' home in the
Mawin' ?
I'm glad to have the chance-!
I'm done with fightin',
'ad had my fill of ?nam!
I'm goin', home in the
Mawin' ?
I'm glad to have the chance-!
I've had my 'eap of fun
But now it's over;
And I wouldn't trade it
To anyone!!
Note: #647
Part Six
Vietnam: Morning Rockets
All morning long, rockets shot by
I stood by sandbags, opened-eyed!
At night, at night-the same
I, and my head dodging such things.
Little I thought, I'd die that morning,
For here I am, to write the story.
For out of the mysterious, Vietnam,
Came a blood-red sky for everyone.
Rockets whistled in the bloody sky,
They have tails like hawks, as they fly!
But the worst of all
?is when they land
A ghostly fate, in deadly sand?!
#648 [5/12/2005]
Part Seven
Vietnam: The Ballad of Lustful Luke
Ugh! What a shame-;
Let me whisper Luke's lustful game:
He'd make love several
Times a day?.
As I swept the dusty steps,
Polished my dirty boots
And cleaned my oily gun-
He'd be screwing everyone!!
And that is how we got to know
Each others name (that is so).
And he'd say:
"You want to play??"
And I'd answer:
"Got things to do, not today Lue!"
Yes, even when in the mist
Of combat-
He'd dip-down into
His little hut and screw
Screw his many sluts?!
"O flee, flee?" I told him many
Times-
"Before disease
Warped his mind.
But he never zippered-up
Those olive-green pants,
And thus, his spinal-cord
Collapsed.
Unable to stand: he was
Flown to Tokyo, Japan.
Part Eight
Vietnam: The Barbwire
"Their all messed up in the barbwire-
(he said); shoot them in the head?
let's fire!"
Oh, what a time to die.
They never made a moan.
Caught in the barbwire fence:
Wet, with sweat to the bone!
Now here we stand, awaiting command
And the VC hasn't a chance.
And here we swear, smoke and
Crack dirty jokes-
As daylight grows awfully dim.
And here we play cards and laugh
While the cursed foe wiggles back,
Back through the barbwire fence;
As we wait for command, and wait
And wait?until they're gone.
Part Nine
Vietnam: Mothers Voice
He went away, to war, that
Autumn day
I watched him out my
Window ?
He sang a song, called
Vietnam
And I'm not sure if
He whistled.
Ah yes, my eyes had
Tears
But he couldn't have guessed
That so?
For I held them deep inside
My chest
And the pain
He never knew.
My boy, my boy who sings
So sweet
And pitiful proud was
I?
But a mother has to let
Life flow-, you know
Be it God's will, her
Son should die!
For peace is bought with love
And tears-
Cheers and
Broken hearts?
But death is always far
Too near-
Far too near:
God, if it be Thy Will.
Part Ten
Vietnam: Carry-on Soldier!
I gave them my best
Out of the jungles of doubt;
To help the fella's in America out!
(Where life is worth living,
no doubt!)
Believe in your mission-
That is what I heard; then:
"Carry-on soldier; carry-on?.!"
It's easy to fight, if you think
It is right-!
It's a different song, if you think
It is wrong-!
But all I heard was:
"Carry-on Soldier, carry-on!"
Part Eleven
Vietnam: the Cross [1975]
And so, the war is now over
Mothers are now with their sons;
And the grieving has ended for many,
And for some, it has just begun.
Smile and try to be happy
Even thought peace was not the prize
For in the valley of hope we have given
Our brave and lovely boys.
Note: these are poems #645 through #656/5/2005
Dennis Siluk http://dennissiluk.tripod.com
Mercedes Benz s500 rentals Salem ..A Poem - By Lorraine KemberIt was a day like... Read More
Sometimes we feel hard-pressed, Our backs against the wall;... Read More
Explore the meaning of poetry and the motivation of poets... Read More
I WANTED TO SAY IT WITH A BUNCH OF FLOWERS... Read More
I will never think twice nor will I roll the... Read More
Poems have different cores, or so I believe, and can... Read More
You speak simple, completley understandable justifications I respect them, respect... Read More
The Goat and the Ropewhere there were devils I saw... Read More
Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More
In the quiet of the arctic night- In its deep... Read More
The light of all eternity shines with me now /... Read More
Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More
The Exit Poems [And Socrates]Iron and FireIron can be... Read More
"I heard what you said, Red. Yet, I have to... Read More
Note: written 4-15-05, while driving through the Andes of Peru,... Read More
1) Do?a Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More
Part oneI see them in the skies I hear them... Read More
Part OneI tell you a legend of long ago Of... Read More
"For this reason poetry is something more philosophical and more... Read More
#25The King and Delka [Split Mawkishness-on Moiromma /Part V]Sickly SentimentalityI... Read More
What Hides behind the Minute?What hides behind the minute? It... Read More
English Version12) Black Poncho(of Saint Cosme Hill, by Lima, Peru)Lost... Read More
So Many Einstein'sThe morning mist, insists there is a God.... Read More
Two Poems and an Analysis ['Witness,' & 'An Old Love']WitnessMy... Read More
What's a prisoner to do when justice fails and... Read More
Dowagiac cheap limo service ..Our home was warm in the shade of the trees... Read More
Mother's Day Poetry,I'm Sorry Mom!I'm sorry for the troubles ... Read More
Do you ever stare at the paper, waiting for poetic... Read More
Hammers. Timbers. Iron. Steel.They're laying down a mighty keel.As ant-like... Read More
1.Night in Jamaica [Peruvianism: 1810]It was a rainy night... Read More
Ironically, the passion that can neutralize the repulsion for difficulties... Read More
Is poetry too complicated for the average reader? Is it... Read More
the disease of extremism is infectious-; whoever cannot think of... Read More
So many looked to you for inspiration,Unlikely hero for the... Read More
Most of my poems are written late at night, often,... Read More
Ole Bulky JeepsThrough late summer's heat These bulky shaped jeeps... Read More
Bells for Belphegor!...Where immortal veils never meet Belphegor, Arch devil... Read More
Footprints to Mantaro Valley (English version)In what retreat art hid?-Where... Read More
You cannot make someone love you. All you can do... Read More
In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More
I want to get closeI am afraid.Afraid of what... Read More
Twilight, was now beginning. As forthe sun, it was down-down... Read More
Here are three more poems by the author, Dennis Siluk,... Read More
I Shall Wait..On all the new mornings, and every singking... Read More
English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More
Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More
Have you ever thought about how nice it would be... Read More
Grandpa's House [The ole Real House]The house needed painting Sun-blistered... Read More
Four Poems: Katrina's PathwayHarvest of Apoplectic Horses ((Dedicated to: Katrina))... Read More
Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is... Read More
Poetry |