Poetry By The LRRP RANGERS of the Vietnam War

LRRP/RANGERS POETRY

I wrote the following verse while in boot camp when my brother, a Marine LRRP, was killed. It was printed in theHayward Tribune, the local paper. Some how the fort brass found out about it and raised hell. Mike

MY BROTHERS DAY
If life had no space
In the times that we live,
And I could live in my dreams,
I'd wish for a day,
Long ago, far away.

One magical day
To spend with my brother
Just one last time.
We could be together

I'd hold his head
In m arms and say,
Soft word of love,
As he went away.

No matter my dreams
I can not change that day.

He was just a Marine
Who fell that day,
Killed in a rice paddy
In the mud and the heat of day.

Just one more of LBJ's boy's,
One of the many
Who died that day.

By Mike Bakkie

I write and am published in different magazines. My latest contribution was to the Deadly Writers Patrol. I am including a past item published 2 years ago. Mike

PICKET FENCES

They are there if you look
Two feet high in perfect rows
Picket fences of insanity.

Sentinels in ranks
With chiseled dates
And the saddest words;
Honor, glory, known
Only to god.

They have out soared
The shadows of night
Residing in the uplands
Of the ages past.

Only mortal imagination
Can bring back the dead
Transcending memory
That swiftly passes away.

They found their destiny
In purpose, steadfastness,
Tenacity and endurance
Without wavering hearts.

Death is precise
As a minuet dancer.

By Mike Bakkie

HONORING A LEADER
From: Eugene Luning
To: Bob Carr

Bob-
I've been awfully inspired by all the stories you told me back in January. Thanks again for letting me work on that story (ed: about Lt. Dilger) for you. It was a true honor. On top of writing, I also enjoy writing poetry when I can find the time. Here's something I wrote this afternoon. It's again inspired by Lt. Dilger.

"From Death"
The fire-fight sparked the night and he
rushed into eternity.
Then spread out, cold, he hurried back
to render what his country lacked.

A leader of men of highest rank
into death's warmest slumber sank
then rose again just like a Christ,
counting not the cost nor price.

His slumber, short, upon the gurney
ended not his life-long journey.
The lieutenant rose to live again.
For bullets could not stop his men.

And bullets could not down the bird
from which he swung and his men heard
his voice again upon the wave.
From death, the best are sometimes saved.

Eugene Luning

GOD'S CREATIONS

In the beginning, God created Slicks giving them the mission of Medivac, rescue, resupply and transport and he said this is good, but the Slicks will need protection, so he created Gunships to protect the Slicks and he said this is good, but the Gunships needed targets, so he created Scouts to find targets for the Gunships and he said this is good, upon surveying his works, God realized that he needed crews for his creations, so he populated the Slicks with the best and most disciplined Aviators, he populated the Gunships with lesser disciplined Aviators, and with what was left over he populated the Scouts, he looked upon his creations and said this good, now my Slicks will be properly protected and supported in their missions. God spoke to the assembled Slicks, Gunships and Scouts, saying unto them; go forth and support my most favored creation.

...the LRRPS

MY FRIEND

Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on, And before I knew it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friend's face,
For life is a swift and terrible pace,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,
And now we are aging, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.

'Tomorrow' I say! I will call Jim
Just to show that I'm thinking of him.'
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner, yet miles away,
'Here's a telegram sir,' ' Jim died today.'
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.

Remember to always say what you mean.
If you love someone, tell them.
Because when yoou decide that it is the
right time it might be too late.

Sieze the day, Never have regrets.
And most importantly, stay close to your
friends and family, for they helped
make you what you are today.

Author Unknown

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