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Vietnam War Poetry
Another Deadly Jungle Day
by Jackie Kays
DN, 23rd ABG/APS; 6252nd APS
War-Stories LM 14
VSPA LM 366
© 2000
 
 

 

Another Deadly Jungle Day

As the rays of golden sun-light from the early morning dawn
begins to penetrate the sanctuary of the  dark green jungle,
the strange noises of the eerie night are silenced.
The smell of the mountain air flowing fresh from
the South China sea,  pumps life into the new born day.

The low puffy white clouds lazily drift in from the
shimmering emerald sea. Here time doesn’t exist….
nothing matters, nothing is of significance.
Today is the same as yesterday…
ten thousand years ago.

Over the centuries, many have lived and died here.
But the jungle doesn’t count…it just consumes.                 
Life and death are irrelevant and all things are
fair game in this place of open exposure to the
ancient jungle laws.

Beauty is abundant…giant white flowers dangle
from their swaying vines.  In the clearings…
elephant grass rises six feet high.
Colorful song birds fill the air with their strange sounds.
The bright red clay is exposed where the jungle hog has
rotted for his early morning meal.

The cool serenity and reverence of the early jungle morning
suddenly, violently  erupts  into the hot winds of war. 
The deafening sound s of the Howitzer, the distinctive crack
of the AK-47, the immediate response of the rat..a..tat..tat
of the M16. The pop-pop-pop of a chopper blade awakes
you from your slumbering dreams.

Your reality is just another deadly jungle day!
And life in the World is far…far away!

Jack R. Kays
Dedicated to CW2 Jack Stoddard, U.S.A. Ret.,
and to all the men of  M-CO-11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
 

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