It means seeing Hell on earth.
It means seeing children sacrificed.
It means seeing death and destruction.
It means coming home after risking your life,
only to be called baby killer.
It means getting off a bus in uniform,
and getting spit on.
It means still having nightmares.
It means hating everything you did over there,
but being proud of everything you did.
It means hating the Iraqi War,
but loving the soldiers over there.
It means that you would still give your life,
if you were asked to defend this country.
It means thanking God everyday that you were spared.
It means having a tear in your eye,
every time you hear the National Anthem.
It means loving this country,
with all your heart and soul.
It means living everyday to the fullest,
because you know how quickly a life can end.
Am I sorry I am a Vietnam Vet?
Am I bitter because of what happened to me?
No, I am a Vietnam Vet,
and I am proud of it.
Author notes
Written July 9th, 2006
In a list
A contest entry
- Anything Goes (With some rules) by AngelEyes13.
360 points, ended January 20, 2007, 12 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Life of a Veteran. by Me a poet-maybe.
1750 points, ended December 25, 2007, 15 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 24 of 24
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BRAVO
Brother...or...Sister you hit the nail right on the head with this one. It's been a lousy 40 years in a lot of ways. But...They're finally coming around...for all of us..
Thank you and best wishes in this contest.
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Me a poet-maybe
Thank you so much for your kind words. They really do mean a lot to me
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This is really moving, You have penned this well and I feel for you it was rough coming back and the americans your own kind treating you like trash. You didn't even choose to go you were drafted. It was wrong for those americans to treat the soldiers this way. Excellent Poem Dear Good Luck in the contest
Cara
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PoovyLou
Thank you somuch for your comments. I really don't know if this poem is any good or not. I am just too close to it to know. But it was a healing process to write it.
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Excellent job penning this. You can feel it and having military in my family, I can really appreciate this. Well done!
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Thank you Amunet Wolfbane
Thank you so much for your comments. This was a hard poem for me to write , but it ws also a healing poem. -
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You Bet
That is one reason I did this.
I am also looking forward to hearing from everyone who enters this contest and those who decided NOT to after it's all over, being a vet myself, I'm very interested in getting to know any other vet I can....ANY !
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Thank you so much for your comments and kind words purple war. They really do mean a lot to me coming from you, since you hace seen it first hand through your dad. And I also thank you for supporting your dad. There are times when we all need that support.
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well written and meaningful
Great poem, my dad was a vet and he still has problems facing the past. His best friend he went to high school with stepped on a land mind. Dad has agent orange and some hearing loss. He would go in front of the line looking for mines before the men came up. He turned down the purple heart said t give it to someone else. I was not there but the war has effected me in a different way. I am glad to see we have men like you and my dad. THANK YOU for what you did. When dad came home they told them to get out of uniform on the plane because of the people. He refused proud of what he did. -
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purple war
My heart goes out to the families of vets too, I know very well what they have gone through....I put my family through the same.
BUT...there IS hope...and HELP....I've found it and I thank GOD for it as I'm a much better person now than I was....for MANY years. -
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Thank you for the words you sent me. They mean a lot. I sometime think people don't realize how a family is changed when a vet comes home a different person. I wish my family could of gotten help a long time ago. Just to let you know I now have a little girl, Rowan Arizona. I have been so busy I have not been on the computer much. She is a sweety.
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Thank you so much for your comments James R. They are greatly appreciated.
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This was a very well wrote piece Vietnam now that was one hell of a war a real mess. Project orange if only they knew what they do now but at the time is was a great idea. I thank you for this write my friend and wish you the best of luck in the contest.
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AMEN and AMEN
if only they knew what they do now but at the time is was a great idea. I thank you for this write my friend and wish you the best of luck in the contest.
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Thank you so much for your comments Frodofan. They are truely appreciated.
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I think this a moving piece, telling the side of a type of person I think some under estimate. Good job and thanks for entering.
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Thank you so much for your comments mzblondemoments. I have never considered myself a hero. And I don't think anyone that was over there would consider themselves a hero either. We were just doing the job that we were given to do. The true heroes are the ones that did not come back. I missed some of them dearly for I loved them as brothers.
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Thank you so much for your comments comeflyaway. Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Edited on Jul 10, 6:23 p.m. because 'typo'. -
Great job
This is a great poem, thank you for sharing how you feel about being a Vietnam vet. you should be proud to be one and proud of this poem
Great job -
This is an amazing emotion filled heartfelt write. I can only imagine what you have been through and have witnessed, no one should have to witness the horrors, and human suffering that happens in war. Also, I can only imagine what an impact this has made on your life. It was truly heart wrenching to see the disgusting display given for a homecoming to these soldiers when returning from the Vietnam war. A war they did not choose, as many were drafted, and forced to go, and others went out of loyalty to their country, only to have to relive this horror on a daily basis for the rest of their lives. Those are the true Heros. You are a true hero. At your homecoming you all should have been treated as Heros; as well should the unfortunate ones who never returned from this horrific war. You should be proud. I am proud of you. You went to war to stand up for your country, our country. But a country who turned its back on you when you returned, after defending our honor and fighting for freedom; that is truly sickening, but I believe we as a nation have learned from that. At least I certainly hope so. I truly commend you for sharing this wonderful emotional write. I wish I could applaud this piece a thousand times.
~much love~
carol
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Thank you so much for your kind words PoetrysAngel2041. They are greatly appreciated. I thank you for your blessings, but I am far from a hero. I was only doing my job. It is the one's that didn't come back that are the heroes.
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This poem is amazing, and god bless you for serving our country in vietnam. You are an amazing person, a hero in my eyes and many others. Thank you for serving our country and defending our honor and integrity. may god bless you
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Thank you so much for the comments and the applause Bad Bill. They are both appreciated.
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Good
I like the way that you portray both sides of the coin--along with the glory you also depict the horror of war. A well-written piece.
Regards,
Bill
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