Miles Below Our Boots

A good memory of Vietnam.

dreary, gray, our days of pain

relentless hours of falling rain

fighting a serious case of blues

with wet slick clothes we pay the dues

 

in an unloved, misdirected war

our youth at risk, we are the poor

we train with powerful weapons and toys

and follow orders not meant for boys

 

my pilot finally draws a mission

and we start to smile instead of wish’n

with only a few hours of sleep

we spot our chopper from our jeep

 

it sits forlorn in sandbagged berth

our ticket to freedom above the earth

fueled and ready to serve our needs

it’s shiny skin covered with rain beads

 

it’s one full hour before first light

and ground visibility is slight 

the Nam monsoon is in full swing

every surface with rain does ring

 

shoulder harness and lap belt snaps

he twists the stick and jet engine raps

rifle and pack strapped in the back

my camera rings my neck with strap

 

the tail boon rotor begins to spin

with the hissing sound of gears within

gauges, lever and commo. check

we dream of space above the deck

we don our helmets and finally speak

as the chopper blades begin to shriek

the headphones block most outside sounds

including the convective rain that pounds

 

‘are you experienced’ from cassette plays

it rocks and rolls us into a daze

the treble of jet and bass of blades

thrill and thump our bones in spades

 

it won’t be too cold we’re hope’n

so we leave both side doors open

front bubble splatters with streaked rain

zero visibility is faced with disdain

 

we accelerate up and east

riding the steel jet-engined beast

pressed down and back into our seat

the thrill and blood-rush can’t be beat

 

we rock and rise in violent cross winds 

ears pop, time passes, reality bends

a tiny cabin, electric guitar, and dash light

our whole world within sound and sight

 

we watch our height as the air grows thin

outside our bubble, color changes begin

our mood is beginning to mellow

at 9,000 feet gray turns to pale yellow

 

suddenly, we burst through the deck

I grab my camera and crane my neck

cotton balls rise around us at first

then, in a light wind slowly disperse

on top of a turbulent puffy sea 

of multi-colored cotton candy

the rapid change makes us almost ill

we sit humbled, small and very still

 

a neon blanket of color and light

stretching out to the edge of sight

the sun orb rising with dark orange glow

brings purple, green, blue, and yellow

 

into the absolute stillness and cold

we raise our visors and are so bold

I light our pipe even knowing the law

and pass it to him with reverent awe

 

we absorb the moment in a daze

the first open sky in many days

as ‘Hey Joe’ ends and ‘Stone Free’ starts

the sun is full and the choppy sea parts

 

with palm cupped over, I take a draw

forty years later to exactly recall

the rainbow colors of the cloudy sea

an answer to our inward plea

for a momentary escape

from the hateful landscape

miles below our boots

Reviews

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

What a poignant and beautifully described tale of something that must have truly been hideous and difficult to be part of - although you should always be honored for your service to our country. Thank you for sharing this story - the description and rhythm are truly Sublime. Well done.
Light,
Siddartha

[~ Tex]

Well told, my friend. Well told indeed.

[Yvonne Heidt]

Thank you for this truly profound and intense piece. Through it all you never lost the flow or rhythm. I remember these times as a child. If no-one has said "Thank you" in awhile - I am glad to say - thank you for fighting for me (even in a mis-guided war). You should have never been spit-on or dishonored in anyway - I hate that with a passion...

The common theme in these reviews seems to be "awe." I completely agree.

[R J Askew]

My only knowledge of Vietnam is through films and thin memories of watching it on TV. This poem took me there in a very different way. The poem's detail makes it feel very tangible. You sound like an ordinary intelligent person, you noticed and felt things I could imagine myself feeling and i could imagine my responses being similar. Along with the great immediacy the poem though long has a real momentum and does not feel long as every line is vital to the accurate telling of the moment. And the feeling of THAT below your feet is conveyed very strongly.

[Dezaraye]

This poem is incredible. You take us on such a beautiful journey, a memory that I'm sure you hold so tenderly in your heart. I'm at a loss for words. This is amazing.

[TL Boehm]

such a unique spin on a 'war' poem. I'm at a loss for words to honor this with a review....I can only tell you as I read and reread that it leaves me in awe.....