52 years ago
through the scope
I saw Charlie\'s head blow,
no friggin joke.
Minutes later another
feelings I tried to smother
They were only teens
armed simply with carbines.
Guilt to self disdain
that day half my unit slain
My God was I to blame
payback for young lives claimed?
As I boarded the Huey
the M16 slipped from my hand
My mind went screwy
They put me on a C 131Samaritan
I burned through my last pay
Jack Daniels was my crutch
Wup de dee week in the VA,
Uncle Sam, thanks very much.
It\'s a Chinook. He looks familiar
Sabatier was his name.
Where ya get that picture?
Metals? He didn\'t give a fig \'bout fame.
Kind of messed up like me. Drank.
But he had the smarts for school
Piles of dead really stank.
He saw children\'s blood in pools.
Yea, we were in Cambodia.
Who\'s asking this time?
Bunch killed in the eastern area.
Brother can you spare a dime.
Augustus / Seasons hospice, Houston TX / May 2017