Where were you in Sixty-Nine

while I was in the Nam?

Sitting in a room somewhere,

listening to a song.

We talked about the world back then,

and the parties going on,

while we hid behind the bushes,

waiting for the Cong

Where were you in Sixty-Nine

while I was in the Nam?

Marching for the other side,

and screaming we were wrong

We talked about the world back then

and how you hated us,

while we humped along the roadside

and taught the kids to cuss.

Where were you in Sixty-Nine

While I was in the Nam?

Standing by your neighbor’s fence,

talking about your lawn.

We talked about the world back then

and just how proud you’d be,

while we torched and shelled the tree lines

to kill the enemy.

Where were you in Sixty-Nine

While I was in the Nam?

Lying in your mother’s womb,

waiting for the dawn.

We talked about the world back then,

and how we’d teach you right

while we cried and prayed to Jesus

just to make it through the night.

Jim Curtis, North Bend

Editor’s note: Curtis has created an album of patriotic poetry. E-mail him at umibushi@yahoo.com.