Caren Krutsinger Poet Dramatic Verse

Vietnam Was In Full Swing

It was the early 70's 
Viet Nam was in full swing.
Tommy fell out of his seat in class,
Amusing us, making us laugh
"Even the army would not take you," a teacher said.
Making us laugh harder
For that was when the draft was in full swing also.

Tommy called his mother before we graduated
"This is for you, Mom," he said.
He was under the throes of alcohol, 
Fully aware that he had been her only throw away child.
She had kept his two siblings.
However, she was too angry with him
For he had arrived when she was only fifteen,
making her mad.

His grandparents had done the best they could.
But they could not be his mother,
So alcohol became his mother.
His mother shrugged, hearing the gun go off.
Not concerned.
She never liked him anyway.
He was the first casualty of war in my graduating class.

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Panagiota Romios March 31, 2019 at 10:49 PM What a well done poem. Alcoholics do come from happy homes, sad homes, etc. Alcohol is a drug that kills many.They have a mental and physical addiction.Some survive, some..,no. Some of the worst are able to rise above all!God gives this gift to some. I don't know why. Sorry about Tommy. Caren Krutsinger April 1, 2019 at 5:03 AM It was so sad upon reflection. We were so innocent, anyway, I was so innocent, I thought he was being "funny" when he kept falling out of his chair. I had no idea it was a medical condition.