CayCay Godwin Poet Rhyme

VIETNAM VICTIM

Dedicated to my Father, (R)Colonel US Army, 1931-1998, with endless love

Leaving for a year
for nightmares and fear
he came to say goodbye
or at least to try.

I did not speak,
didn’t open my eyes,
an unknown fear
had me paralyzed.

Daddy long stood in uniform
watching me tucked in warm.
My silence is memory that haunts -
there is a fulfillment I still want.

My pretend sleep,
him standing above.
we should have spoken,
held and shown love.

I only, barely, peaked 
at my Daddy’s face.
This regret won’t leave,
I mourn that lost embrace.

Did he know, did he realize,
his nine-year-old was alert 
behind closed eyes? 
He had always known
when I was in possum mode.
We should have hugged,
shown each other our love.
Did Dad live with regret 
over what I cannot forget?

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Andrea Dietrich October 25, 2025 at 11:15 AM As Crystol remarked, this is so poignant and showing vulnerability. I am left wondering if you did not see him after that? Is that why the regret? I am sure you must have told me this and feel bad if forgot. Did he go away to Viet Nam and come back wounded? Or would you be the Victim as well?

Crystol Woods May 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM Such a poignant and sad poem... you have laid open your heart so vulnerable. The relationship between father and daughter is shown in such raw emotion. Thank you for sharing such a heartbreakingly beautiful poem. Xo

David Crandall May 19, 2025 at 8:18 PM powerful and personal

Oliver Mckeithan May 19, 2025 at 6:32 PM CayCay, congrats on your placement in my contest. You wrote from an excellent perspective of a child watching her father go off to war. Your feelings are well said here. CayCay Godwin May 20, 2025 at 1:15 AM That is a night that for me has never ended, over and over, I rewrite it. How blessed I am that he came back, for endless reasons, but also because that night would never have known the take and give of future love that eased the regret it held. Thank you, Oliver, for sponsoring, it means a lot to many ... CayCay

Sandra Adams September 3, 2019 at 9:02 AM powerful, poignant and equally emotionally sad...whatever his reasoning i am sure he just wanted one last glimpse, sounds as his decision had already came with regrets... the hugs may have come if he knew you were awake.... touching write... hugs

Susan Ashley November 14, 2017 at 4:35 PM Oh so sad CayCay that your father had to leave you at such a tender age and under those horrible circumstances. Your recollection of this moment in your life and the fear you felt is brilliantly illuminated in your strong and captivating write... and I was glad to read that your Dad came home 365 days later.. Warm wishes and hugs! (soup mail for you :)

Freddie Robinson Jr. December 27, 2016 at 12:33 PM A gripping and yet tender poem, CayCay. The human cost of war is so much more than the dead victims, it's the living victims as well. You expressed this very well in this touching poem. Love the way you superimposed another point-of-view in this poem. Very creative poetry. Love always.

Carole Duet October 21, 2016 at 4:16 AM What a great and tender poem! A fav for sure, CayCay. And, congratulations. Carole

Sandra Haight October 18, 2016 at 7:05 PM So sad, deep and powerful, CayCay...my eyes welled up with emotion. Congratulations on your placement in the contest. Hugs, Sandra

Janis Medders Tobechi October 18, 2016 at 12:51 PM I see this was your last time. Very sad and very moving. I pray that one day you will feel that embrace somehow if you don't already. Well written. A 7 congrats on your placement. I am partial to Nam poems. My generation.

Viv Wigley October 18, 2016 at 12:13 AM Deep, dark, sorrowful. Congrats on your heartfelt write, CayCay. Viv x

Afzal Nusker October 17, 2016 at 10:46 PM Very touching and sad. Congrats on your win, Caycay.

Beautiful Scars October 17, 2016 at 3:07 PM ohhh CayCay, how devastating...very sad but wonderfully written dear lady :) congrats on your placement :)-luloo

Lenny Gazbowski May 16, 2016 at 7:40 PM A tragic but well written poem. I am sorry for your loss CayCay. My dad was called up for WW2 on his 18th birthday, he never spoke of his experiences. I know why. Only the bankers and arms dealers profit from war.

Andrea Dietrich October 11, 2015 at 8:07 PM CayCay, I have my notifications turned off so I don't know the marvelous messages you are leaving me like this one I just read down here. so very sorry your dad was called by agent orange. thanks for the "gift" message. that was so sweet. I love your poems too. I will see if there is one more way down here at the bottom I have not seen and then I will get to dinner.

Neil Kruger October 10, 2015 at 8:21 AM This is so sad and deep. I'm sorry for your loss. War is an ugly thing. CayCay Godwin October 12, 2015 at 7:25 AM Thank you, Neil, for your kind and tender care of my loss and poem ... CayCay

Arthur Vaso September 27, 2015 at 7:37 PM Hello CayCay, this is the first poem I have read of you, and oh how touching this is. You have captured the sadness, and I sure would like to think he did know! If he read this, how proud he would be! CayCay Godwin September 28, 2015 at 6:21 PM Your words warm me. Since Daddy is now gone, I wrapped up inside your pride comment for awhile. I'm delighted to see an older post read, I know I sometimes read others in reverse order so nothing good slips through. Thank you, Arthur - very much ... CayCay

James Inman September 3, 2015 at 3:04 PM CayCay, heartfelt lovely poem. Very well written. CayCay Godwin September 3, 2015 at 6:18 PM James, thank you for taking time for me and sharing such uplifting words ... CayCay

Andrea Dietrich August 18, 2015 at 4:09 PM How sad this is. Did he come back to you from that horrible war? Sure would like to know. I get the sense that he didn't. Very good one! Powerful verse for what you intend to show us. thanks for your nice comments on my poem. Do I feel under the gun? Yes, I do. hahaha. I will not be always at the top. That is inevitable! but it keeps me trying!! CayCay Godwin August 21, 2015 at 10:04 PM 365 days later my Daddy did come home. It was 30 seemingly healthy-years later that Vietnam killed him; he died from Agent Orange. Thanks for reading me, please come around again sometime. My commits were for most of your poems that I read. I plan to read more - so little time. I meant what I said - you have the gift.

Edlynn Nau August 18, 2015 at 1:48 PM He probably knew but was saving you from the pain of saying goodbye! This shows the great hurt in regret! A daughter who can never get another hug. So painful to me. You might want to look at my poem called, "Dead at Home on Veterans Day. " I will post it late tonight (after those get done with their 10 at a time). So if your a morning lark, look tomorrow or go to my page. All of us continue to be the victims of the Vietnam war. Long after it is over...we live with the repercussions. Edlynn Nau August 22, 2015 at 12:16 AM Well I'd text you if I knew how! Ha! AnyWho, "Dead At Home..." IS POSTED when you find that time. I promised I get it on the Wall tonight. Accomplished. It's a Ballad. CayCay Godwin August 21, 2015 at 10:24 PM Thank you for commenting and I must say, I think you're right that he knew I was awake because my Dad always knew when I was playing possum. Please see my abobe comment to Andrea about my Daddy. I didn't find "Dead at Home on Veterans Day", but I filled your inbox with other comments.

Pam Deremer August 16, 2015 at 10:26 PM Very nice. I really enjoyed reading your poem.