For all the soldiers who have lost thier lives for our country.

[T. Erdelyi]

I wrote this for the soldiers who gave their lives during the Viet Nam war, (I was 15 back then in 1975) the ones who died in or as a result of battle and those who died inside when they came back, this also goes out to all the men who ever served and the families they left behind.

A Tale of Dead............................by T. Erdelyi 11-75

Children play upon their graves,
Dug for them in warring days,
Covered by the misty haze,
People watch as children gaze,

Upon the beds which they have made,
Within these walls the dead are laid,
Flowers wilt as tombstones fade,
Their debts to us have now been paid,

By those who shout and those who cry,
As women weep and children sigh,
And yet they watch as still more die,
Caring not for those who try,
To find an answer in the sky,

Condemned are those who tried and fell,
Condemned to Satan and to Hell,
Skies grow dark and oceans swell,
As demons ring the flaming bell,

By those who hate and those who fear,
That Judgment Day at last is here,
Revenge so far and yet so near,
There comes from them a single tear,

A tear for those who died unknown,
For all whose graves are overgrown,
With weeds and grass and pale white stone,
At last for them a light has shone,
And now the dead are going home.

 

[VictGerbSogCamill]

Very deep and a well written poem for 15. Not sure what to make of this "Condemned are those who tried and fell,
Condemned to Satan and to Hell,"

I was five at the time and oblivious, I'm sure at fifteen, a lot was going through your mind, and what better way to sort it out, than to put it on paper. Nice dedication.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

There were still lots of mixed emotions when the soldiers started comin' home, a lot of them were blamed and labled as killers and animals, I had many friends who were spit on and cursed at as they came home, people damned them to hell for doin' what they were sent to do.

Many things happened over there that friends who made it home still are reluctant to talk about without some liquid emotional lubricant.

I was confused about how people treated them so bad and didn't support them like any subsequent wars/police actions since and like you mentioned, I was 15 dealin' with a lot of angst and emotions.

 

[VictGerbSogCamill]

There were still lots of mixed emotions when the soldiers started comin' home, a lot of them were blamed and labled as killers and animals, I had many friends who were spit on and cursed at as they came home, people damned them to hell for doin' what they were sent to do.Many things happened over there that friends who made it home still are reluctant to talk about without some liquid emotional lubricant.

I was confused about how people treated them so bad and didn't support them like any subsequent wars/police actions since and like you mentioned, I was 15 dealin' with a lot of angst and emotions.

Makes sense knowing the rest of the story, and how you meant it under those contexts. Once again thanks for sharing.

Thoughts and prayers out to those who have served and those still serving!!!!