I was asked if I have ever written any poetry. Yes. I wrote a number of poems based on my Vietnam experiences. I found there was no way I could write prose about those experiences. One of my poems, Crazier Now, has been included in several anthologies. 
It’s short poem. It might help if I explained a bit about it. I think anyone can get a feel for the experience of watching the enemy shoot at you at night – the fireflies – from it. The night so black that is all you can see, then the man beside you being killed by head wound and something salty splashes your face – blood. You know what it is but you can’t scream. It would make anybody crazy.
Crazier Now
Just watching pretty little fire flies
But we are all a little crazier now.
The jungle’s full of muzzle flashes,
Tiny little killing fire flies,
But they won’t find me. Now.
The new guy beside me, I’m glad
I don’t know his name, is trying
To kill the tiny little fire flies.
But they can’t be killed. He won’t
listen. So they’ll find him. Soon.
The sound of a rifle slug hitting
A tin can, something splashes my face,
Only the softest of sighs. My tongue
Finds the splash. Salty. The little
Killing fire flies are done.
I’m crazier. Now.
2 Responses
Its good that you explain a little history as it put you in the space right away. You know I think this could be made into an awesome song.
Your comment surprises me. I never thought of it as a potential song. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me though as some of the best poetry today is being written by rap artists. Their topics can be very tough too.