proud of my draft card

proud of my draft card

 

 

half a man

came back from nam

 

the mine blew his leg

now the other must beg

 

for help with movement

when the mind was slowed by a bullet

to the point of no return

 

torn soldiers

toy soldiers

jigsaw puzzle man

back from nam

 

feeling a draft

from where his brain used to sit

now an open window

 

into the few thoughts he has left

that make sense.

 

 

erin-cilberto

4/6/23

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

I continue to be grateful for the finger of fate that directed me to enlist in a reserve unit when Vietnam was still a small war and Sam wasn't drafting 18 year olds to go there. Many were not so fortunate and ended up dead or in the shape of the guy described in this work. And still wars continue. As the old 60''s ballad asked, when will they ever learn?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"where have all the flowers gone?" "long time passing"
I am glad you did what you did and avoided going there...I was lucky as well.
j.

[Ken e Bujold]

a very poignant poem Jacob. the truth of the emotion is evident in each aching word.
the tragedy of Nam is that it never should have happened. And while the history of mankind is riddled with what ifs, this one has always stuck in my craw. So many innocent lives, on all sides lost...for what?
had the powers at be had an ounce of sense, it never would have happened. The futility of what lay ahead was there to see in how the french finally had to tuck tail and exit. Minh, while a communist, was not a soviet red. In fact, having visited Vietnam on a few occasions I can attest that the country left to its own decisions would have undoubtedly been the 90s china, thirty years earlier. One of the great takeaways i have from them is how they have managed to find a middle way of growing an economy while keeping a lid on the obscene grasp of the top 1%. Still 2nd world by all means but rapidly modernizing and improving the lives of majority of citizens. In many ways reminds me of Singapore when I first started to visit in the early 80s.

sorry for the rant, but your poem brought all this to mind

take care
ken

[jacob erin-cilberto]

ken,
thank you for responding to this--and yes, it should not have happened...a reaction to our work is why we write....no need for apologies, rant away....there needs to be more conversation these days..
j.

[Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn..]

Jacob,

Very poignant words for all those who are Vets, or known someone who is ...

Marvin Thomas Cox-Flynn de Graham

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Marvin,
j.

[keith]

tough subject you chose jacob
the worn pages of your thesaurus shine good light
this is indeed a good write well written
your captured moments described exhibit your ease within a boundless imagination
however it lacks authenticity that only those few know and understand
again, this is a very good write giving honorable grace to an era of mistaken horrors

58,220 they are ... each and everyone etched in forever mistaken horrors

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, mistaken horrors....thank you, keith,
j.

[andrew mitchell]

The sad thing about the Nam war that it was more politically motivated and hence soldiers were just dispensable pawns like “live” livestock shipped over seas to be slaughtered elsewhere. The public should have spat on those who sent them rather than … to come back in pieces to be reassembled by those who were against war.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, dispensable pawns in a politically motivated game of chess.
and I agree about the spitting...they aimed that in the wrong direction.
j.

[willweb]

It is so sad how those returning from Nam were treated. About the same as the hippies asking g for peace. The whole thing was screwed up. I didn't have a draft card, thank God, because I would have been dead for sure. Nixon stopped the draft a few days before I was eligible. Deep subject here Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I was 1-A for awhile and got lucky....
but friends went and came back so different.
thank you, will,
j.

[Perdition]

Last two lines...the eruption of something within the heart...a man lost, a half thought so well describes those that have been thrown, tossed into this matter. You know in the coming of Memorial Day I wonder about your belief in the burning of the flag or the kneeling during the National Anthem...no need to answer but the question is there. I grew up fighting authority and yet a Military Brat I knew the price we also paid and the respect of it all as well, but the blood that was spilled was spilled by no one that wanted to meet their end, even in this way but knew their duty and cause and to me, it is a troubling thing to come to terms with, that these that died, died so that we could have more and for the voices that could speak in no other ways...it is a hard thing to consider when I have so much respect for the men that paid the price...ultimately! A wonderful tribute to the day and to the men who had no home to come back to as they were seen in very different ways~ Thanks J.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful response, Perdition,
j,

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

feeling a draft
from where his brain used to sit
now an open window

Amazing words !
Loved the poem

Such a great poem

My dad served in navy in ww2 his two brothers in airforce and army

My older brother went to Vietnam early seventies was a mine engineer dismantled and found land mines in army
I remember the vacant looks never sure what dad and brother were thinking of

War is senseless destruction

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and my dad designed ships for the navy in ww2...designed the ones your dad served on...Your brother saved a lot of lives.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

"for help with movement

when the mind was slowed by a bullet

to the point of no return



torn soldiers

toy soldiers"

[Sami Khalil]

"feeling a draft

from where his brain used to sit

now an open window"