Submitted by: Claire Eide

Category: Poetry

It was you and I

It was you and I—and a hundred thousand more.
Not much more than children—when they shipped us off to war.
And we didn’t like the weather much—we didn’t like the chore.
But some of us stayed forever—on that distant foreign shore.

And the world we all left behind—was told that we were wrong.
The news would cover anything—that was protested in a song.
When we returned they didn’t want to hear—‘bout things that we had done.
We had only done our duty—but made our living with a gun.

And now it’s you and I—and a multitude revived.
Better for the experience—but God knows that we’ve tried.
And yes I know that we’ve recalled—I know that we have cried.
But wounds heal and people grow—we have no shame to hide.

And the sun still shines down upon—a mission some say failed.
A trophy to the media—on its staff it’s now impaled
And we’re standing prouder now—and we would do it all again
If when we took the battle field—this time they’d let us win.

Cause it was you and I—and a hundred thousand more
Not much more than children—when they shipped us off to war.

About the author:

I'm retired AD Army. I spent 19 months in Nam, Aug 68 - Apr 70. I got out of the Army and about ten years later joined the National Guard. While there I became one of the first AGR (Active Guard Reserve)to serve with the local unit.