These two poems were written twenty years a part...the message still has not changed, neither has the world..Walt

Words of wisdom wrote today
By a soldier far away
"I wonder what they say if I get home"
With the smell of death all around

From the sorrow in his pen
He states these words again
"I wonder if I will get home"
It's a dark and lonely night
And the smell of death bellows up from the ground


Like a torrent rage, fear swells inside
Words of honor and pride
Still he writes "I wonder if I will go home"
from the moon up in the sky it is Midnight
And smell of death strikes at his very soul

Somewhere in the dark a flash
Carrying a ounce of lead
Barely misses his head
Will this take him home?
But the smell of death was almost his own

"Medics on their way"
That's what the sergeants say
And just maybe his buddy will go home
The smell of death lingers in the air

He holds the bandage tight
It takes all his might
To stop the life from pouring out
He is sure his buddy going home
Now the smell of death is in his hair.


Voices screaming in the dark
Fear almost stops his heart
"I just want to go home"
And the smell of death is real after all

A medic holds his hand
They are asking him to stand
He cannot feel his legs
Home is so close
But the smell of death makes its final call

Words of wisdom almost done
And the battles still not won
For this soldier his body is going home
And the smell of death it lingers on


Words of wisdom wrote today
To a family faraway
Your son died bravely
We are sending him home
But the smell of death it is not gone

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Words of wisdom wrote today by a soldier far away
and I wonder what they say when he gets home.
Yes, I wonder what they’ll say when they see him walk
their way.

Oh, I wonder what they say when he gets home.

Night as dark as night can be,
Christ Lord won't someone please help me.

And I wonder what they’ll say when I get home.

Yes, I wonder what they'd say
if I just got up and walked away.

Yes, I wonder what they'd say if I get home.

Soldier belly full of lead,
left here by the enemy for dead.

I wonder what they’ll say when he gets home.
Yes, I wonder what they’ll say when he wheels his chair their way.

Yes, I wonder what they’ll say if he gets home.

Words of wisdom almost done
and the battles still not won
and I wonder what they’ll say when I get home.

Words of wisdom wrote today
by a Captain far a way,
Mrs. Jones your son is dead he won't be home.

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After landing at Travis Air force base, I added this verse:
Screaming voices in the night,
Baby killer, read the signs
You are not welcome home