Marchin’
Well, here I am,
Fort Dix, N.J. Basic Training
Bravo Company
learning to be a soldier Mom
Today I shot the M-14 rifle
tomorrow we throw real grenades!
Everywhere we go, we march in formation
and guess what, I’m a Road Guard
“Bravo went away a marchin’
way in the middle of the night
Bravo went away a marchin’
learnin’ how to fight…”
Sorry Mom I didn’t make it
home after Basic
I’m at Fort Benning Ga. now
guess they need infantry
pretty bad.
We’re learnin’ hand to hand combat.
Going on night patrols &
setting up perimeter security
I qualified with the M-60 machine gun
and grenade launcher & light mortars.
Looks like I’m headed overseas…
“GI went away a marchin’
to a patriotic song
GI went away a marchin’
to the jungles of Vietnam.”
We landed in the Nam
3 weeks ago Mom
I’m in I Corps
somewhere near the DMZ
I miss you & Dad, Mom
went on my first night
patrol
saw some action…
came upon a V.C.
in the jungle
ho got off the first round
grazed my shoulder
I got off 2 shots
killed him…
“My soul just went away a marchin’
way in the middle of the night
my soul just went away a marchin’
my soul just went away…”
Grand Pa
Hi Grand Pa
can I sit on your knee?
Grand Pa, Papa said you
were in the Vietnam war.
Did you have a uniform?
and a steel helmet?
was it green?
Did you march Grand Pa
with big boots?
was it fun?
Did you shoot a gun?
How big was it?
Grand Pa did people die
in the war?
What were their names?
What were their names, Grand Pa?
Grand Pa, please tell me their names?
The River
The wise ones say
follow your breath
let it take you to
the river of energy
that created you.
Breathe in…breathe out…
Follow your breath
let it take you to
the river of energy
that sustains you.
Breathe in…breathe out…
Follow your breath
let it take you to
the river of energy
that destroys you
Breathe in…breathe out…
Your breath is the
trigger of mindfulness
the key to
the here & now.
Breathe in…breathe out…
Did the Buddha or Jesus
ever shoot a gun?
invade a country?
kill other beings?
Breathe in…breathe out…
Siddhartha
I sat by the river
the river flowed
I sat, I sat, and I sat
the river flowed
thru me
the river was me
Breathe in…breathe out!