Viet Nam Meditation

"Hey Man, are you meditating? Wow, that is cool, man. I've never seen anyone meditating before. Wow."

We were on our way back to replenishment station; on our way back to take on

more arms,

more bombs,

more destruction

to throw at the Vietnamese.

Daily, I would find a place, a secluded place, where I could escape the cruelty, the ever present, oppressive weight of killing.

1972 is

only a thought away,

only a glance away,

only a sting away from today.

Viet Nam beckons me to return. "I forgive you. I will help you forgive yourself," she whispers.
"Come, I await your return to how you should have come in the first place.
Come, I have forgiven you." I hear her call.

For now, I feel the sting, I look for a secluded place, away from the memories

of the bombs,

of the killing,

of the cries.

Ave Maria plays on my headphones, pulling out the splinter of Viet Nam from my heart.

Tears well.

Throat tightens.

I sit. Quiet. Quiet. Quiet.

I ponder, I wonder, Will the ghost of Viet Nam, release me before I return. No?

"I forgive you. I will help you forgive yourself.", she whispers.
"Come, I await your return, to how you should have come in the first place.
Come, I have forgiven you." I hear her call.