Poetry Corner: “Vietnamese War Memories”

Vietnamese War Memories

Sleek
and
silent
the B52 birds knife up through the dense tropical air
and when over their target spawn the eggs of their doom
upon the unsuspecting below
but the unofficial mission leaks to the Fifth Estate
“NAPALM BURNS AND MAIMS 700”

In a private conference the generals are most perturbed
and shout “God Damned press bastards”

Millions with but a temporary interest
gobble down the evening news over Swanson TV dinners
and agree with the generals
that it was the gooks, commies and Cong
with their propaganda machine

The Smiths and Jones thought all this deserved less attention
after all war is war
and they switch to “Rat Patrol” or “Hogan’s Heroes”
where war will always be fun and
Painless

Robert K. Stephen