MIA KIA

Lots of older brothers missing and killed, we were just kids but this is what we witnessed

MIA KIA

We watched footage nighly, on the evening news

from a far away land,that we just couldnt lose.

nervous older brothers, smelling like weed, 

holding draft cards in their hands, eating sunflower seeds.

Missing brothers, at holiday tables,

staring at their empty chair. still just MIA,

by christmas, they will be there.

Christmas evening, their gifts sadly, under the tree.

Parents staring at younger brothers,

looking away, before they would see.

The dads looking angry, staring right at me.

Walter Cronkite, read us the evening news.

body counts, every night we would find out how many we'd lose.

Mothers with that "look" on their face, 

screaming and kicking ,at their husbands, "get him out of that place"

Fathers in the garage, with a vacant look in thieir eyes,

cleaning the gun, washing the car, anything but be inside

becasue inside,  is where the mother was,

and a soldier,  was knocking on the front door.

Another empty chair at thanksgiving dinner.`

Old school picture on the wall.

we just kept losing them, and losing them

They didnt think Saigon would fall.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

This well rhymed piece brought back memories. I was fortunate enough to enlist in a reserve unit when Viet nam was still a small war and my unit was never called up. I remember Walter Cronkite, though, and the body counts and the wondering how long the thing would drag on. As we continue to get involved in foreign guerrilla war conflicts, it doesn't seem we learned anything from Vietnam.

[ETERNITY]

Oh, I thank you for your service, JTB, I had no idea.
You laid your life down when you enlisted. Thank you for your sacrifice.

[Jimmy Crapped Corn]

Thank you John for the kind review and for your service to our country. Matters not if your unit was called up, you were there and ready to deploy. You are a veteran of a foreign war. To be respected and taken good care of by all for the rest of your life. That's how I was raised. My father was a naval officer in ww2

[ETERNITY]

Wow, this is really so well put together.
It makes me feel like I was there at that time
But we know that's not possible.
It was a sad time, I'm sure.
Very good and emotional write.

[Mauricio Montoya]

Everything, everyone and every day life, love how it comes tog, good write, thank you for sharing.

[Joss Jeffrey]

Your work is absolutely remarkable, and I will love to help to bring it to life through story art and animation and also i can help you to reach a broader audience. Do you have any other social media account when we can connect? you can find me on this Telegram: @Yaroslava_6ixyes or discord: @yaroslava70

[Ms claws]

I wept reading this. I had not started kindergarten yet. But the black and white television showed the first scenes ever of actual death. Bodies mangled. I know we didn't even really know why we were there and our relatives and friends were being forced to go.
As always, you are amazing in your ability to create literal graphic scenes.
Thanks for reminding and sharing.

[Jimmy Crapped Corn]

Thank you so much for your always generous words