Rhymes of an Ordnance Man [Vietnam War: 1971]

Rhymes of an Ordnance Man
[Vietnam War: 1971]

An eleven part poem
By Dennis L. Siluk

I had went to Vietnam at the age of 23 [1971], and it was most interesting, there were 205,000 troops there when I arrived. I was asked recently at a lecture [question and answer] at a University in Peru, Huancayo, at the Los Andes, Language Center, how I liked it. Most of the students expected me to be down right rigid with my remarks, I think. But the first thing that came to mind was, '...war is a high," and so I expressed that to the students, they were a ting surprised. And so in this poem I try to outline a few of the more normal occurrences, and include the highs one may find in everyday soldiering in a war area:

Part One

Vietnam: Guard Duty at Dusk

? I paced along the wired fence
Quietly all night;
There was no stars, no moon

Just timid darkness for my light?

I glanced from tree to tree
I glanced from bush to bush
I saw a shadow moving

That never said a word:

"Halt, who goes there?" I cried. But he
Never heard me, I wondered why (?)

Oh, I called him several times,
As I walked the path alone;
And I watched and watched-but

Never saw the foliage move.

I ordered him against the fence
The sorry skies were dark like flint;
He heard the click from my rifle go

And cried like a morbid child.

O, I had no time to tarry-.
So I said, once and for all:
"Clasp your hands against the fence,

Or they'll find you dead tomorrow!"

I dreamed about that evil night
Now crowded with the dead;
War is not all love and laughter

-he never clasped his hands!

#645 5/2005

Part Two

Vietnam: The Frightful Fool
(Dedicated to the Los Andes Students)

"This is not a game," I said
And he quivered his looks away;
All the schooling he has in his head,
Will do for another day?.
"Run and hide," I cried;
The rockets whistle, isn't for school.

D'ye think he'd listen? Na,
Not much:
So I screamed "Wakeup Fool!"
With a cup of grief his way?!
?for there's no glory to die in
Vietnam; for a country that
Sweeps it soul away!...

And so the fearful fool awoke,
To live another day!...
In this game called face the foe
In the far-off jungles by
The South China Sea.

Part Three

Vietnam: Red Silence

I cannot silence, though I try
The sound of rockets in the sky;
Hurls at us in five-ton trucks:

The odyssey, of staying alive.

Yet, life is still a joy-and all is well?
(As we make earth our little hell).

Lo!
We who hear war's red silence
(And are still alive to tell)
Lift up your eyes, see heaven,
Get out of the mud, awhile.

In fact, I didn't mind the horrors of war
For that is what we were there for;
Rather, I hated the mud, rain and grime;
And the shrapnel at times.

Part Four

Vietnam: Heroin-day

And I found in the open jungle

Golden light and golden peace

Dwelling!
A thousand birds were singing!

I forgot, I was here to fight

To fight like a devil if need be.
I was in a fog-day-dreaming;
Kissing wenches amongst the

Glare and the grime, and trees.

I lay my rifle down to bit

To join the other dreamers yet
Dancing on top of a tin-roofed hut;

As if we were all crazy or nuts.

Fighting: was a far, far cry.

I never knew if the enemy was

Nearby!...

Note: #646 5/11/2005

Part Five

Vietnam: Going Home

I'm goin' home in the

Mawin' ?
I'm glad to have the chance-!

I'm done with fightin',

'ad had my fill of ?nam!

I'm goin', home in the

Mawin' ?

I'm glad to have the chance-!

I've had my 'eap of fun
But now it's over;

And I wouldn't trade it
To anyone!!

Note: #647

Part Six

Vietnam: Morning Rockets

All morning long, rockets shot by
I stood by sandbags, opened-eyed!

At night, at night-the same
I, and my head dodging such things.

Little I thought, I'd die that morning,
For here I am, to write the story.

For out of the mysterious, Vietnam,
Came a blood-red sky for everyone.

Rockets whistled in the bloody sky,
They have tails like hawks, as they fly!

But the worst of all
?is when they land
A ghostly fate, in deadly sand?!

#648 [5/12/2005]

Part Seven

Vietnam: The Ballad of Lustful Luke

Ugh! What a shame-;
Let me whisper Luke's lustful game:

He'd make love several

Times a day?.

As I swept the dusty steps,
Polished my dirty boots

And cleaned my oily gun-
He'd be screwing everyone!!

And that is how we got to know
Each others name (that is so).

And he'd say:
"You want to play??"

And I'd answer:
"Got things to do, not today Lue!"

Yes, even when in the mist

Of combat-

He'd dip-down into
His little hut and screw
Screw his many sluts?!

"O flee, flee?" I told him many

Times-
"Before disease

Warped his mind.

But he never zippered-up

Those olive-green pants,
And thus, his spinal-cord

Collapsed.

Unable to stand: he was
Flown to Tokyo, Japan.

Part Eight

Vietnam: The Barbwire

"Their all messed up in the barbwire-
(he said); shoot them in the head?

let's fire!"
Oh, what a time to die.

They never made a moan.
Caught in the barbwire fence:

Wet, with sweat to the bone!

Now here we stand, awaiting command

And the VC hasn't a chance.
And here we swear, smoke and

Crack dirty jokes-
As daylight grows awfully dim.

And here we play cards and laugh
While the cursed foe wiggles back,

Back through the barbwire fence;
As we wait for command, and wait

And wait?until they're gone.

Part Nine

Vietnam: Mothers Voice

He went away, to war, that

Autumn day
I watched him out my

Window ?

He sang a song, called

Vietnam
And I'm not sure if

He whistled.

Ah yes, my eyes had

Tears
But he couldn't have guessed

That so?

For I held them deep inside

My chest
And the pain

He never knew.

My boy, my boy who sings

So sweet
And pitiful proud was

I?

But a mother has to let

Life flow-, you know
Be it God's will, her

Son should die!

For peace is bought with love

And tears-
Cheers and

Broken hearts?

But death is always far

Too near-
Far too near:

God, if it be Thy Will.

Part Ten

Vietnam: Carry-on Soldier!

I gave them my best
Out of the jungles of doubt;
To help the fella's in America out!

(Where life is worth living,

no doubt!)

Believe in your mission-
That is what I heard; then:

"Carry-on soldier; carry-on?.!"

It's easy to fight, if you think

It is right-!
It's a different song, if you think

It is wrong-!

But all I heard was:

"Carry-on Soldier, carry-on!"

Part Eleven

Vietnam: the Cross [1975]

And so, the war is now over
Mothers are now with their sons;
And the grieving has ended for many,
And for some, it has just begun.

Smile and try to be happy
Even thought peace was not the prize
For in the valley of hope we have given
Our brave and lovely boys.

Note: these are poems #645 through #656/5/2005

Dennis Siluk http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

---

Song of the Great Zimbabwe, and Silver and Inca Blood [Poems and notes]

"Song of the Great Zimbabwe"Across the African, winter's skyIn the... Read More

The Time Has Come and Buzzing

Most of my poems are written late at night, often,... Read More

Ode, to the Mighty Midget Omac [In English and Spanish]

Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More

Passion and Poetry, and Life

Ironically, the passion that can neutralize the repulsion for difficulties... Read More

Mechanical Poetry - Part Three

Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and... Read More

Three Poems (While in Transition/English and Spanish)

Here are three more poems by the author, Dennis Siluk,... Read More

Poetry in a Nutshell

Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is... Read More

Barriers

There are many times I set up barriers and walls,... Read More

Thank You To Our Soldiers And A Tribute To Old Glory And A Prayer For Peace

Thank youDedicated to soldiers and their loved onesFor those who... Read More

Recollections

I AM SO GRATEFUL for simpler times. Stores were closed... Read More

Publishing Your Poetry

If you are serious about seeing your work published by... Read More

Tsunami Day

A Poem - By Lorraine KemberIt was a day like... Read More

Its What She Didnt Say

When I hear your voice inside my head it makes... Read More

Three Poems: The Monkey Man of Lima, Plus Two More

What Hides behind the Minute?What hides behind the minute? It... Read More

The Man Who Could Not Say Sorry For His Sins

Sorry would be a start.Though you cant take back your... Read More

Live For Today...

Isn't that what they say?But what does that mean?There's no... Read More

Two Poems: Boyhood, and Old Age [with a note on style]

BoyhoodOh me! Thy glorious days have flown! I mealy noticed,... Read More

A Hundred and Fifty Dead [Korean War--l952]

There I sat, ninety-five degree weatherOutside; the bookstore café, was... Read More

Three Poems: Dona Leonors Revenge; The Old Moon; Common Sides [All in Spanish/all in English]

1) Doña Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More

Famous Poets Quotations - Top 30 Poetry Quotations by Famous Poets

"For this reason poetry is something more philosophical and more... Read More

Because of You

You are to me my lifeline my security. That scares... Read More

Since Youve Been Gone...

My life has changedin so so many waysIt seems to... Read More

THe Monster Mash, A Graveyard SMASH (short story I wrote when I was 11)

The Monster Mash The Graveyard SmashHave you heard of the... Read More

Lamenting Poetic Moods [six Poems]

Advance: in Mr. Siluk's poetry one finds symbolist values, sensuous... Read More

In Poetry: Meaning of Words [And ...Rocket-belt]

In Poetry: Meaning of WordsWhen I write poetry, I check... Read More

An Old Wood Pile [a poem with notes]

Old skin, once held tight Against her skeleton- Rose no... Read More

A Death in Cajamarca, Peru (Atahualpa, in Cajamarca ((in English and Spanish))

The Epic Poem:A Death in Cajamarca, Peru [Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]Advance:... Read More

The Dead God of Copan (in English and Spanish)

English VersionAnd the Death God said: "Let it rise to... Read More

Storm Rising along the Lima Coast

Storm Rising along the Lima Coast [Summer of 2002]?wind was... Read More

Exalted Poetry; Two poem [and commentary]

Bells for Belphegor!...Where immortal veils never meet Belphegor, Arch devil... Read More

The Treasure of Catalina Huanca (In English and Spanish)

Note: written after seeing the little adobe 16th century church... Read More

Mechanical Poetry; Part Two

What do you do when you want to write poetry?... Read More

Writing Innovative Poetry

Writing innovative poetry, the kind of poetry that reputable literary... Read More