1958 tough kids in memphis played army never played navy john wayne
played army black-and-white tv jungles were gray uniforms were gray blood
was gray on tv, nobody ever gets hurt.
uncle tommy was in world war two he told tales jeeps tanks dusty french
villages soldiers mobbed by young women kissing hugging quiet nights
reading moms letters by the light of the moon in his tales, nobody ever gets hurt
1968 uncle warned me be careful what you wish for nineteen seemed old
enough 8 solid weeks still playing army empty rifles dull bayonets digging
foxholes reading moms letters by the light of the moon in boot camp, nobody
ever gets hurt.
vietnam television war in black-and-white pre-packaged newsclips america’s
mothers and fathers watched was that our son we saw? is he still alive? on
the 6 o’clock news, nobody ever gets hurt
reality came quick bright green steaming hot jungles … gunpowder smell …
helicopter sounds … bright white explosions … yellow flames from smoking gun
barrels … green tracer rounds tear through wet leaves … sudden death leaves a
bright red stain reality assaulted my eyes wistful black-and-white memories
forever gone
back home safe at last now uncle tells real war stories nazis tried to kill him
commies tried to kill me suddenly i get angry uncle betrayed me with innocent
fairytales i yell why didn’t you tell me the truth about war? he slowly stands
up to leave tired eyes weeping soft spoken I felt you were too tender-hearted
to hear the truth
in war, everybody gets hurt!