I AM A SOLDIER

I AM A SOLDIER, BOUND FOR A FARAWAY LAND

FOR MY COUNTRY NEEDED TO MAKE A STAND

JUST DID MY TRAINING, LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER SHOULD

I NEVER WONDERED WHY, JUST KNEW THAT I COULD

ON MY WAY TO THAT PLACE, I TURNED TO SAY GOODBYE

THAT’S THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW MY MOTHER CRY

THAT WAS SO SAD, TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER FACE

THAT’S WHEN I REALIZED THAT VIETNAM WAS NOT JUST A PLACE

I NEVER ASKED FOR FORTUNE, I NEVER ASKED FOR FAME

BUT WHEN I CAME HOME FROM THAT VIETNAM

I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME,

IT HAPPENED ONE FINE DAY ALONG THE TRAIL

DEEP IN MY GUT, I KNEW I MUST NOT FAIL

AS I HEARD THE HAUNTING SOUND OF THE WOUNDED WAIL

INCOMING, THE CRACKLING OF RIFLES, CHECK THE FLANK

THREE MEN DOWN, WHO CARES ABOUT RANK

I WAS ONLY NINETEEN, WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT FEAR

BACK IN “THE WORLD” I WAS TO YOUNG TO BUY BEER

I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE

THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE

FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, MY NAME IS NOT ON THE “WALL”

TO SEE THE “WALL” TOUCH THE “WALL” MANY PEOPLE CAME

BUT FOR ME I KNEW I WOULD NEVER, NO NEVER BE THE SAME

YES I GREW UP FAST AT THAT TENDER AGE

BUT WHY THIRTY SOME YEARS LATER, DO I STILL FEEL THE RAGE

I SIT AT NIGHT, ALONE WITH NO ANSWER WHY

I SIT AT NIGHT ALONE AND CRY

I AM A SOLDIER TO THIS VERY DAY,

BUT AS A CIVILIAN THE MEMORIES WILL STAY

THERE IS NO WAY I CAN TURN THE PAGE

SOME THIRTY YEARS LATER MY EMOTIONS STILL RAGE

David Williamson
C Company 2/327th Infantry
101st Airborne Division
Republic of South Vietnam 1969-71

This writing was extracted form our old website.

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