Poems: The Rifle, Turn

Credit: Civilianpublicservice.org

The Rifle

Company left picnic ground

with all the trash behind.

What some humpers throw away

would really blow your mind.

____________

And Charlie’s one with Nature.

He scavenges the shit.

But sniper team is waiting

for any they can get.

_____________

Two hundred meter easy shoot

for those up in the trees.

Silenced rifles never heard.

Favorable the breeze.

______________

Likeness of the hand of God

will swat them on the ground.

Eleven will taste the pain

and seven will be found.

_______________

So walk away, pack away.

Pretend you never saw

what happens in the jungle

when the rifle is God’s Law.

(C) John Steinmeyer

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Turn

They counted what was

when we were in war.

Counted what wasn’t

and tallied the score.

Said we were winning

and we fought some more.

We turn.

Set us in ambush

of those we don’t know.

Sweat us in jungle.

Let hate and fear grow.

Sent us a soda

for every dead show.

We turn.

Beer or some whiskey

for us to unwind.

Cigarette packet

of shit to blow mind.

Eraser of Deros

and leave all behind.

________

And suddenly, we knew

not where to turn.

(C) John Steinmeyer

1. Other Side
2. Sniffer
3. The Fish
4. L.C, and L.C. 2 –Two gone, waiting for number three
5. Poems- Sour (1) Sealed (2)
6. Poems- In The Grinder (1) The Teller (2) 
7. More to come

John Steinmeyer served in Vietnam as an Infantry Sergeant with the 9th division in the Mekong Delta, then was transferred to the 25th Division and served the last half of his tour in a sniper team.

Thuy Smith’s father (Vietnam Veteran) and Vietnamese mother along with Thuy were friends of John and his family. Two poems from a collection that John wrote of his many experiences during his time in Vietnam. The collection is titled – The Rain. See other links above for more. Thuy Smith (TSOI) was given permission to share his poems on all of TSOI’s media platforms, etc.