And the Mothers Weep

AND THE MOTHERS WEEP by JOHN M. ARRIBAS A young lanky sod buster with no place to go Thought things would be better in San Antonio Joined some of his Texas patriots at the Alamo To declare freedom from a tyrannical foe He and his friends were all destined to die All slain. Giving rise to a sacred battle cry “Remember the Alamo” The fathers swear, and the mothers weep A bright young man with a future to share Awoke one cold morning at Ypres, over there Fixed bayonets, following orders to prepare Innocent of the burdens they will bear Existing the muddy trench, charging en masse They all succumbed, victims of mustard gas “It’s a long way to Tipperary” The fathers curse, and the mothers weep A recent collegian learned to aviate Totally innocent of the awaiting fate Sailed into the pacific on the USS Enterprise Trap is set, catch the enemy by surprise Torpedo squadron raced to the scene that day No members of the squadron survived “Midway” “Lets Remember Pearl Harbor” The fathers wrathful, and the mothers weep A day in June the world arose to a horrific hell Invaders from the north crossed 38th parallel The lightning attack caught the south asleep The slaughter was constant, the invasion deep Pusan, the stronghold that stopped the attack The price paid for by 58,000 that never came back “Not War, a Police Action” The fathers enraged, and the mothers weep Mothers weep (2) Moist and dense jungles, once known as Indo-China The tragic battlefield producing murderous drama 58,000 paid the price, more than half million deployed Napalm burned villages, ancient temples destroyed Saigon once called the Paris of the orient The Hanoi Hilton’s prisoners now absent “Hell no, I won’t go” The fathers bitter, and the mothers weep Erect a stele to all women in a public place On it etch the painful notices they may face It will be a warning for those yet unborn The unending years, that they will mourn The fathers filled with vengeful cries Seek retribution with watery eyes The mothers turn and toss unable to sleep And the mothers weep, and the mothers weep The enemy has young men they want to keep And the mothers weep, and the mothers weep