There's a room
Where memories,
Of what I became,
In Vietnam.
Just to survive,
Are stored,
They're locked tight,
And not to be opened.
No one has seen.
This side of my being.
He is in a place.
That nobody
Can find.
These memories
Are part.
Of my Soul.
Which will never
Quite heal.
When despair
Smothers all.
When my memory
Recalls.
War poetry
Gives voice.
To my SOUL!
To soar
To the Heavens above.
~ Ricardo
NIGHTMARE OF VIETNAM
MOTHER,
Wake me
From this nightmare.
I been in this nightmare
Since all those months.
I spent with hunger,
Death and fear
As my companions.
The smell of cordite
Is in my nostrils.
The sound of thunder
Reminds us
Of artillery firing.
Back firing of cars
And firecrackers
Remind us
Of rifle fire.
Rain, lighting and thunder
Went on and on for days.
Rats, leeches and snakes,
Were our companions
In this living hell.
Known to some
As Vietnam.
It was ungodly hot,
And humid as well.
Cries of pain
And no sound
From the dead.
Ring in our ears.
We lived
From day to day.
To plan for the future.
Was madness.
Because
In the next moment.
You might step
On a mine.
And all those plans
Were for nothing.
When will it end?
On our death bed?
So please Mother,
Wake me
From this nightmare.
Your son.
~ Ricardo
WHO SPEAKS FOR THE DEAD?
I see a 'Wall'
Were images are reflected.
From the names.
Of those that went.
And met their fate.
They had no choice.
Or deferment.
From their fate.
At the Nation bidding
They went to their fate.
So,
WHO SPEAKS FOR THE DEAD
At this late date?
No one as most just want,
To FORGIVE AND FORGET.
I'm sorry,
'I just can't
Do that just yet'...
~ Ricardo
SURVIVORS
We the survivors,
Owe much to the real heroes,
Who's service,
We commemorate
On Memorial Day,
Trying to do the best,
They were capable of,
Most had no choice
On the day they died,
But they left an imprint
In the minds,
Of us who survived
The horrors of war,
They are left,
In a place in time,
That many of us,
Can't break from,
As long
As we remember them,
They will always remain
ALIVE.
Semper Fidelis
~ Ricardo
58,299 NAMES
On The Vietnam Memorial
Of neatly engraved
Names,
Strung across slabs
Of black granite,
I wonder what stories.
They might tell?
Of their Dreams.
And their Fears.
~ Ricardo
PICTURE OF A MARINE
My tears, were private
All the dying.
And the suffering
There was no one.
That I could talk to.
I suffered alone.
My tears, were private.
Can you see,
This picture,
Of a Marine?
Can you see ME?
~ Ricardo
SOME DAY
Some day I hope
I will be happy and free
And rid of all the pain
Of PTSD
It's hard to explain the pain
The thoughts of a young Marine
Screaming as he was dying.
So I hope some day
To be like other men
Happy and free
And rid
Of my friend
Named PTSD.
~ Ricardo
A HORSEMAN ON A PALE HORSE
I saw a horseman.
I looked, and there before me.
Was a pale horse!
Its rider was named Death.
Sometime in May of 1965.
But he did not see me.
But I knew DEATH
Was our companion.
In this living hell.
Named VIETNAM.
~ Ricardo
FOUR CARRIED ONE
Its just like it happen yesterday.
We four had to carry one.
One at a time.
Because the medevac zone.
Was so small.
The wounded first.
To try and save a life.
The dead, we placed aside.
We were so busy.
We did not notice.
How tired we were.
That we had made.
4 trips.
Of FOUR CARRIED ONE.
But like most things.
Your passing
Is hardly noticed.
In our history books.
Was I dreaming?
It was just like it.
HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
FOUR CARRIED ONE.
~ Ricardo
WHEN IS IT ALRIGHT TO SHOW EMOTION?
When is the time to show emotion.
When is the time to hold everything inside?
Leaders are suppose to set the example.
When so many have been killed and wounded.
Is it alright to cry?
Had we become so hard to death.
That death no longer made a difference.
Was it better him than I?
Had we became so hard emotionally.
We came home bitterer old men.
And we were just in our TWENTIES!
~ Ricardo
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
Why did we killed in Vietnam?
Why were we born?
Just to die.
And have our names.
On a black granite wall.
Years later.
We are trading with Vietnam.
WHY?
~ Ricardo
VALOR, VANITY, VIRTUE
Valor; great courage in the face of danger.
virtute magna temeritate in periculo
Vanity excessive pride.
vanitatem sine superbia
Virtue behavior showing high moral standards.
virtutis ostendens moribus moribus
Valor, Vanity, Virtue
Which of the three
Is best acceptable to thee?
Valor, vanitatem virtus
Quam trium
Optimum acceptabile, mihique?
Valor, Vanity, Virtue
Which of the three
Is best acceptable to thee?
Valor, vanitatem virtus
Quam trium
Optimum acceptabile, mihique?
~ Ricardo
THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY
To deal with HATE
Of Race
Of Religion
Of Sexual Orientation
Or how a person speaks
~ Ricardo
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