Veronica Joseph Poet Free verse

The Real Vietnam

his real vietnam happened
when he came home
and they shipped him speed
and downers free
free
he made a lot of money in town
spreading the wealth (ah-hum)
around
hey they got him addicted crawling in swamps on
his belly
up for days on speed, then downs to sleep
so the drugs kept coming
along with hush money

of course he was never ever the same
he left amazingly handsome football captain
returned with death in his eyes
on his hands
the scent never left his nose
wanting peace, a home, a family safety
seclusion
often he drifted late at night
to the fields and lost friends
and he got up
and smoked again.

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Veronica Joseph August 6, 2009 at 5:38 PM and all of the vets I knew were so ashamed to fighting, there was no pride or support because they knew they were going straight into hell. The stories....

August 6, 2009 at 12:21 PM So sad and a true tragedy. Our heroes should get better than what the country gave them after the huge sacrifice. This a heartfelt poem. Thank you for sharing it and for taking time to comment on my haiku. Keep on writing. Have a good day! Karen

Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen August 6, 2009 at 8:25 AM Veronica, The Vietnam War was horrible. I have a cousin who was never the same afterward. Drinking, endless drinking. And to make it worse, they didn't even call it a war until it was almost over... "The Vietnam Conflict" stole many lives. This poem is only one part of a horrid history. Very well written. DAS-J

William Kershaw August 5, 2009 at 8:11 PM Veronica, I don't know who your viet vet was but I am terribly sorry that he is gone, or at least I get that he is gone since you refer to him in the past tense. A well written and haunting poem. Not all wounds bleed. God Bless, Will