Don Blackburn

Don Blackburn was in Vietnam in 1967-68, attached to the 116th transportation company for most of the time, in and around Cam Ranh Bay; he was also at Long Binh and Bear Cat for a short time. He is now a high school teacher in the Portland, Oregon area, and has had some Vietnam-related poems and a short story published in various literary magazines. Don Blackburn also belongs to a veterans group that does presentations in schools, works with veterans' issues, etc.

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU

I am here to tell you
we're not kill-krazed Rambos,
Canada or jail was no choice

I am here to tell you
blood is thicker than water,
time heals wounds--of the flesh

I am here to tell you
the never-ending rain was poisoned,
earth cried out in pain

I am here to tell you
children die like tortured angels
orphan parents weep on both sides of the sea

I am here to tell you,
chaplains closed their eyes,
monks killed themselves in fire

I am here to tell you
you should not forget,
what you'll never know

I am here to tell you I am here to tell you
so many died we were spared to tell you
more are living ghosts we speak for all the rest.

I am here to tell you I am here to tell you
life is good, even half life, that I am here to tell you.
a few of us were blessed