North American Dreaming: A Young American Son
...In 66 a round came in
his name was on it
now he's on
the wall..
William Burkholder's poem concerns young American heroes - and lessons that are never learned.
For lots more poetic offerings please visit Bill's Web site http://www.freewebs.com/nirvanasgate/index.htm
He was nineteen
in 65
ten foot tall
and bulletproof
Full of bravado
and John Wayne
no draft for him
he enlisted
Trained in hell's fire
and Helos
jumping was in his blood
some he left there
In 66 a round came in
his name was on it
now he's on
the wall
One of thousands
but never forgotten
always remembered
a young American son
The man that he could have become
is lost to history
but we know the man that he was
a hero
To many lost heroes
so many foddered
for a lost
and feeble cause
You would think
in this day and age
that this
would give us pause
But aye
our history
repeats
itself
Again and again and again
