' A near death experience '...

Atop the two story building that was our barracks,

we stood watching the battle..

Saigon was alight with explosions and gun fire..

The 'Tet Offensive' had begun..

As we watched the Viet Cong coming down the street..

The Fog of war was filling the dirt road..

The Vietnamese Soldiers that were to stand guard had deserted us..

We gentlemen of teachers and instructors stood motionless..

A bullet raced past my right ear as all looked within my eyes..

My thought, was just, a lucky shot, until the next bullet woke me up..

The men fought for position upon the downward ladder..

I climbed down the ladder and drank a beer..

So strange, to not fear death..

And yet so full of Power and Grace...


-thomas