Pray For Wrld Peace

Pray For Wrld Peace

I wrote the following poem 1967 during the war in Vietnam. I dedicated it to Steve Kinghammer, my 2nd cousin (by marriage) who gave his life in that war, after being drafted to serve in a war he didn't believe in, but as a good American, he still gave it his full support, and sadly, his life.

There were many friends of mine that I wrote to every week for the years they were there. "Fizzies" and "Cool Aid" were what they asked for most often. None of them wished to kill their enemy nor be killed. None of them ever had any say in what they did or how they died. None of them ever met the ones who made the decision to go there...But nonetheless...they did not "serve" or die in vain! They did their duty to their country and to their conscience. The men who survived were each hero's in their own right for having served in that awful war. The men who died there are hero's all...

In Memory of Steven Kinghammer

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Born Aug 17, 1946 - Died in Vietnam - January 27, 1967

"TRUTH"

With the passing of this century

We might find that we were wrong,

That the younger generation

Had the answers all along.

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For a peaceful world is based upon

A changing of the rules;

And the youth is trying to tell us

That these wars are waged by fools.

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Where’s the sense in all the killing

All the hate in the name of greed?

It was the older generation

That planted wars’ foul seed.

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It’s the youth that want the answers

That their fathers’ couldn’t find

So they might give new meaning

To a desperate humankind.

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We teach children Gods’ Commandment

Where He says:"Thou shalt not kill"…

And remind them, if they break it

In hell they’ll pay their bill.

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Yet a few years before manhood

While the child is still a boy

He’s forced to serve his Country

A gun he must employ.

***

How to kill a man in combat

That’s the thing he’s made to learn

And if the boy refuses

He’s called "coward" in return.

***

How brave these men who fight on maps

They’re not the ones who die

They’re not the men who have to meet

Their enemy eye to eye.

***

Now if only the men who ran the wars

From their desks were made to fight

And did their killing for themselves

I’d say then, war is right.

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And what of the boys on the enemies' side

Did they want to heed wars’ call?

Or just perhaps they too,

Would rather

Not have fought at all!

***