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erik-ervinPoems
When you approached me, I was smoking a cigarette listening to Macklemore outside my favorite coffeeshop in the rainy city You said something, but I didn't hear you, so I removed my headphones as you asked "Could you help a veteran out by giving him a cigarette?" I said yes, asked you where you had fought you told me Saigon "Oh yeah? Vietnam." you looked at me dressed in a coat that was a color of blue not found in nature face of canyons and told me "We got those ******* good. We did. We got those ******* good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." and you walked away. I was stuck in a trance of What the **** was that and yeah, we did get them but I don't know if I'd lay down Agent Orange and call it "good" Take Civil and Guerrilla warfare and try to tie it next to butterflies and welfare checks I don't know what you think is good But me? I can't find any other words for 1.9 to 3.9 million casualties in a war that should never have been fought Than sad and wrong I wonder how many Vietnamese women gave birth to half American babies That they never wanted that didn't even desire to participate in the act of child making I wonder how many Loved their children anyway how many were honest with them how many of those children burnt that odd color of blue that should never exist in nature But then again neither should the bombs children are still unearthing in the North and South of Vietnam I want to know how many of their parents learned that American is another word for a ************ How many of these parents grew up telling their children never trust an American until you know where his gun is pointed because he's always got it pointing somewhere I want to know If you would understand where Saigon, now ** Chi Minh city is on a map if you had never fought there Would you be on the streets of Portland alone asking a college kid who was not alive when you fought in Southeast Asia for a cigarette I wonder where are you going? How many people did you **** how many are you sorry for killing? and then I realize I really don't want to know.
0
Mar 19, 2012
Mar 19, 2012 at 12:43 AM UTC
To the Veteran That Needed a Cigarette and Got One
When you approached me, I was smoking a cigarette listening to Macklemore outside my favorite coffeeshop in the rainy city You said something, but I didn't hear you, so I removed my headphones as you asked "Could you help a veteran out by giving him a cigarette?" I said yes, asked you where you had fought you told me Saigon "Oh yeah? Vietnam." you looked at me dressed in a coat that was a color of blue not found in nature face of canyons and told me "We got those ******* good. We did. We got those ******* good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." and you walked away. I was stuck in a trance of What the **** was that and yeah, we did get them but I don't know if I'd lay down Agent Orange and call it "good" Take Civil and Guerrilla warfare and try to tie it next to butterflies and welfare checks I don't know what you think is good But me? I can't find any other words for 1.9 to 3.9 million casualties in a war that should never have been fought Than sad and wrong I wonder how many Vietnamese women gave birth to half American babies That they never wanted that didn't even desire to participate in the act of child making I wonder how many Loved their children anyway how many were honest with them how many of those children burnt that odd color of blue that should never exist in nature But then again neither should the bombs children are still unearthing in the North and South of Vietnam I want to know how many of their parents learned that American is another word for a ************ How many of these parents grew up telling their children never trust an American until you know where his gun is pointed because he's always got it pointing somewhere I want to know If you would understand where Saigon, now ** Chi Minh city is on a map if you had never fought there Would you be on the streets of Portland alone asking a college kid who was not alive when you fought in Southeast Asia for a cigarette I wonder where are you going? How many people did you **** how many are you sorry for killing? and then I realize I really don't want to know.
erik-ervin
Written by
erik-ervin
American
Mar 19, 2012
Mar 19, 2012 at 12:43 AM UTC
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