Lay down that burden, soldier
You’ve done your duty well
You honored your fallen brother
In ways that words can’t tell
You met him and made friends
In that far off distant place
And still today, in your memories
You can see that youthful face
You lived and laughed together
Into combat, you flew side by side
Until that day he did not return
That day, your good friend died
You mourned for your comrade
Though you held back your tears
And he flew with you, in your soul
For all these many years
You did so many things “for him”
In your mind, with him, you’d share
The fun and crazy things in life
As this burden you continued to bare
Now, today you stand here at his grave
On the grass where he now lies
And the emotions of thirty years comes out
As tears fall from your eyes
Then you feel a great relief
As a weight comes off your chest
You stand there in honor
Where a warrior lies in rest
For all those many, many years
You never spoke of how you feel
Now is time to lay down that burden
The time has come to heal
And we shall not forget your friend
As we honor those from the past
Assigned HQ, MACV Office of the AG, Admin Machine Branch, Personnel Accounting
Section. MOS 74C30. SSG E-6, From Nov, 1968 to Sept, 1969
Retired MSG E-8 in 1986. Now live in Deer Park, WA. Presently involved in
veteran's political issues locally. Also produce my own CD recordings of my
Vietnam & Patriotic poems.
