A Poem by Gene O. Tyburn

A SOLDIER’S LETTER

DEAR MOM AND DAD

THEY SENT ME TO IRAQ TO FIGHT
BUT SOMETHIN ABOUT THIS JUST AIN’T RIGHT.

HERE I AM IN A BULLET PROOF VEST

JUST HOPE IT COVERS MY BEATIN’ CHEST

HOW DID AMERICA GET THIS WAY?

LYIN’ SEEMS TO RULE THE DAY.

THEY SAY WE’RE HERE FOR DEMOCRACY

BUT IT SURE LOOKS LIKE DUPLICITY.

THEY’RE SENT OUT HERE ON A BAREFACED LIE
AND THEY VOTE HIM BACK, CAN YOU TELL ME WHY?
HOW DID AMERICA GET THIS WAY?
IT’S TELLIN’ LIES SEEMS TO RULE THE DAY.

ARE THE FOLKS BACK HOME ALL FAST ASLEEP

AS WE BLEED AND DIE ON THESE HERE STREETS?

IF HUSSEIN WAS SO DAM’ BAD BEFORE

WHY’D WE GIVE HIM ALL THESE GUNS GALORE?

WE’RE TOLD WE’RE HEROES AND HERE TO SAVE ‘EM

WHILE THEY’RE BLOWIN’ US UP WITH THE BOMBS WE GAVE ‘EM.

HOW DID AMERICA GET THIS WAY?

IT’S LYIN’ SEEMS TO RULE THE DAY.

CAN WE SHOVE DEMOCRACY DOWN THEIR THROAT?

WILL THEY ALL LOVE EACH OTHER WHEN THEY GET THE VOTE?

FROM WHAT I CAN SEE, IT’S A NO WIN HAND

WALKIN’ THESE STREETS IN THE BLOWIN’ SAND.

TWO THOUSAND OF US HAVE BIT THE DUST

FOR A GOVERNMENT WE NO LONGER TRUST.

WHERE’S ALL THIS DYIN’ GONNA WIND UP?

IT AIN’T WHAT THEY TOLD ME WHEN I SIGNED UP.

OUR TROOPS ARE GETTIN’ MIGHTY THIN

FIGHTIN’ A WAR WE CAN’T SEEM TO WIN.

IT’S NOT VIETNAM, THE GENERALS SAY –

WE CAN WIN THIS ONE IF WERE WILLIN’ TO STAY.

BUT IT’S OUR RED BLOOD THAT SOAKS THE SOIL

SO THE FAT CATS AT HOME CAN DRILL FOR OIL.

LOVE FROM YOUR SON HERE IN IRAQ.

IT’S MY SECOND TOUR WILL I EVER GET BACK?

-Gene O. Tyburn