ROCK AND ROLL RECON

The only "good morning" there ever was in Vietnam

was the day we left.

Armed Forces Radio did keep the killers

hopping to rock-and-roll.

We'd recon the Que Son Valley in

two light airplanes everyday.

Now I won't bullshit you: it was no Ashau,

but it was badder than Leech Valley---

a real Charles County, Marlboro Country.

Bad things grew in the valley

and the Jolly Green Giant was a

rescue chopper in Danang.

Above the smoking vills, the burned-out tanks,

we bopped along with the Four Seasons,

"Working my way back to you, babe."

The Mamas and the Papas were "California Dreamin"

and so were our pilots as they waggled

their wings in time to the music.

Only on Xmas did we get serious.

We'd sing songs like

"Wake the town and kill the people."

--The Poetry of Ben D. Trail