Humpin' The Nam


Goddamn it’s hot, sweat streams down my body,
Reach for the green towel around my neck,
But it’s too wet to dry my face,
Sweat stings my eyes.

My green T shirt has been wet, dried out and soaked again,
Now more white with body salt than green,
My camouflage fatigues are wet too, from waist to knee,
Looks like I pissed my pants,

Ain’t no big thing.
Nobody to impress out here,
Just keep humpin’, follow the man ahead,
Will be dark soon, you’ll wish the sun was back.

Take my jungle cover off, wring it out,
Water pours out of it like a wet sponge.
My skin tingles like tiny needles sticking all over.
Bad sign. Better take another salt and some water.

Not a single breeze in this whole fuckin’ country,
And us just trippin’ around out here.
Another block and sweep OP.
When do we get to be the goddamn blockers?

My flak jacket feels like a ton, hot and stuffy,
My neck and armpits are chafed raw,
Fuckin’ thing ain’t good for nothin’,
Probably step on something and loose a leg.

Ain’t seen nothin' either, second day of this shit.
If we’re sweepin’, those gooks are bookin’,
Way out ahead.
Ain’t no big thing, just keep humpin’.

Lost a Marine last night,
Only had a month in country,
We stopped to set up for the night,
Same place others had been,

Kid jumped into a ready-made foxhole.
Should have checked it out first,
Booby trap blew him clear out of it,
Flipped him into the air.

Died screaming to God and for Mom,
Blood seemed to be everywhere,
Died before the chopper came,
Never even fired a shot.

Goddamn this country!
Goddamn this war!
Goddamn the men who sent us here!
And goddamn that goddamn sun!

The sun seems to touch everything,
My rifle is too hot to hold,
Nothing to shoot anyway,
The gooks, they only come out at night.

Fuck it, ain’t no big thing, just keep humpin’,
What am I bitching about?
Twenty-three and a wake up,
And I’ll be Freedom bound.






Michael Tank
USMC
Scout/Snipers
‘69-’72 12/29/01



"Copyright 2004. Michael E. Tank All rights reserved. No part of this document may be copied, faxed, electronically transmitted, or in any other manner duplicated without express written permission of the author."


Previous     Next

HOME     POETRY     STORIES     THE NCO CLUB

          Support Our Troops    


                      

Please Sign My Guest Book By Clicking On Our Flag



Thank You and God Bless