Tag: Viet Nam

In Memory of Joe Drew

From Woburn, Mass, a small city, in 1964 Joe Drew joined the Marines,
The few, the proud, the brave sent him to the front lines in Viet Nam.
A good, gentle guy, never harmed anyone with words or fists.
Often thought, Joe why … why … why you, the nonviolent one?
Concluded gentle Joe probably felt he wasn’t manly enough,
And the Marines made manly men out of gentle teenage boys.
I’ll never forget Joe Drew, goodhearted, tender soul, great guy.
Joe came back from Nam in a body bag, first in Woburn.
Tears rained all over the city, one of our own down forever.
How I wish Joe never joined the marines and went to Nam.
A nicer guy there never was. If when I die, I wouldn’t be
Surprised if I meet an angel in the afterlife … Joe Drew.

Bob Boyd

When War Was Fun

Back in the 50s and 60s, war on the silver screen, valor galore.
We always won the war, exciting fun to kill enemies,
always went home singing victory songs. Rousing entertainment
while nonchalantly munching buttered popcorn and juicy fruits in
cushy movie seats. Never lost, nobody really hurt. A few died
but insignificant, unknown actors usually, their deaths
a blip on the silver screen. Besides in the movies, less personal,
less real, didn’t register. Nobody got Agent Orange, maimed,
shell shocked or PTSD. Nobody came back in wheelchairs
or missing limbs. Nam changed it all. A friend, Joe Drew,
joined the marines, unlikely candidate, gentle Joe never
got in a fight. Sweet personality seemed incapable of harming
anything. First one in my city home dead in a body bag,
lost his young life, his future in that Southeast Asian jungle.
More deaths followed. Not like the movies, many dying:
sons, daughters, brothers and fathers and mothers.
Many came home maimed in body and in mind, others
in wheelchairs, some with arms and legs blown off.
Agent Orange and PTSD plagued many. No cures.
The 50s and 60s war movies were never like that.

Bob Boyd

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