Jamies Friendly Fire/Jim Rose

"Colors"

He was wheeled to the doors

and they slid open with a hiss

after being laid up for months

it was a place he wouldn’t miss

These many months now

he had been going through hell

his body being ravaged

by something he couldn’t even spell

His brothers came and they went

he had watched with concern

he realized what they had been thinking

because now it was his turn

His attendant was nice

but wasn’t in the mood to talk

She wheeled him through the door

and down the side walk

The hospice was next door

and they headed that way

it would be his new home

for the rest of his days

He had almost bought it that time in Dak-To

and there was that mortar round near Kontum

now he was fighting hard to make it

just to the bed in his new room

His life was almost over

of that he was sure

at least the pain would be gone

and he would not hurt anymore

Agent orange, purple, and pink

Agent white, green, and blue

it would have been so appropriate

if they would have added some red too

He could have taken the bullets and bombs

but what was so hard for him to know

was that what he was dying from

sounded like a rainbow

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America

President

Army Transportation Association Vietnam

"Moment’s of Guilt"

The room was warm

as he walked through the door

he picked up his young daughter

from her blanket on the floor

Hi Hon

he heard himself say

I have waited for this moment

my entire day

holding her body close

he smoothed her pretty hair

the pain on her face

was almost to much to bear

This Spinal Bifida that you have

should never have come to be

but your daddy was called

to go serve his country

long before you were born

doing what I had to do

my country sprayed me with something

that has caused this pain to you

the love in her eyes

caused his tears to start

those feelings of guilt

tugged on his heart

Hon, you know that your daddy

would give all I have in this world

to be able to walk through the park

with my sweet little girl

someday we will be able to do that

in the kingdom up above

but for now sweet girl

you will have all of my love

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America

President

Army Transportation Association Vietnam

I have placed our new Painting on here. It came to us by way of our scholarship program. We give three every year connected to an art contest open to all of the seniors of the Galveston County school system. The themes of the art have to be either patriotic, present day military, or Veteran related. This year we added Agent Orange. We set a deadline and Marilyn and I went to the different high schools and picked up the art work. I could not believe it when I picked up this one. I brought it back to my office and studied it. The artist is 17 years old and I thought that this knowledge was way beyond her years. So I checked for plagiarism. I spent about 6 hours looking at agent orange sites and then I narrowed the search down to, Agent Orange Art Work, and spent another 4 hours looking. Nothing even close to this as far as I was concerned. The first thing that struck me about the painting was the American Flag in the back ground from which planes were flying. It meant to me that our own government had dropped this on us. Next it wasn't being dropped on little people or soldiers. It was being dropped on crosses. It was a death sentence when it was dropped. Next came the Mother with the orange fetus. You know what that means. Next came the statement about the scars. We have none until we start losing limbs or having operations. I took the painting to our Texas State Council meeting. While I was explaining it to one of the members there he said that I hadn't taken it far enough and told me that the flag was swirling around the mothers legs trying to cover up the crosses. The last statement that the young lady had put on the painting made more sense to me then.

"Riding Life’s Highway"

He has long since quit caring

everyday seems like the last

sometimes the hardest thing to do

is to give up and forget the past

It felt like so long ago

he started down this road he is on

there are just twists and turns now

all of the straight a ways are gone

Sitting here in this park

Day after day

The birds still came around

but the people walk away

One by one they come and they go

everyone seems to pass him by

most of them glance the other way

none of them look him in the eye

That old war that he had fought in

just will not go away

his body is breaking down

and there is a new pain every day

The shadows are getting long

and the pain is getting bad

he starts back to the shelter

to the new friends he now had

Time goes by faster now

His pain free days are rare

the road of life he travels on

now is done in a wheel chair

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America

President

Army Transportation Association Vietnam

"Just another day in the Nam"

Golden rays gently nudged the darkness

working their magic on the night

shadows crept through the elephant grass

trying to beat the morning light

The shadows moved silently forward

towards the wire that lay just ahead

if they didn’t get this just right

they would all be dead

"Halt" a voice commanded

all movement came to a stop

again the voice spoke

this time it said "Top"

"Kick" came the reply

from out of the grass

the voice said "come on in friend"

and moved the wire to let them pass

They came quickly through the wire

not bothering to look back

to take care of their equipment

and then to hit the sack

making sure they all got in

the guard watched as they went by

it had been a rough night for them

he could see it in their eye

When the last one had passed

there was nothing he could say

he knew that here in the Nam

it was just another day.

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America

President

Army Transportation Association Vietnam

On the night of the judging I had to recluse myself because I knew the artist's and the schools they came from. I did explain to the judges the required subjects and explained to them that there was one painting that fit into one of the categories perfectly. The painting came in fourth. After I explained the painting to my chapter I could see the light come in their eyes. They all wanted to change their votes but it was already recorded. Our chapter voted to offer the young lady $500.00 for the painting and all of the rights to it. We took the offer to her, her teacher, and her parents. They all agreed that it was a good offer. In effect it upped our scholarships. I will send you a letter you will enjoy. It gives us great pride. I asked her how she painted such a painting being as young as she was. She told me that she had went on the agent orange sites and when she came to something important she put it in the painting. She is going to college and I feel that our scholarship program has a good side effect. She will take the knowledge she received with her. By the way, she has nobody in her family that has ever been in the military and is the type of person that needs to be aware of what is happening to this Countries Veterans. We are naming the Painting, "Friendly Fire" and I wrote a poem about it.

" Faces and Places, a remembrance "

The evening turns to dark

and here I sit

my friends are coming

but they are not here yet

Vague thoughts drift through my mind

from times long ago

when I was young and strong

and there was nothing I did not know

The passes of Ankhe

red beach at Qui-nhon

the sampans at Tuy-Hoa

to much time around Bong Son

Coming out of Pleku

The Yards waving as we go by

taking my convoy over the passes

Back to our home at Phu-Tai

Things are becoming clear to me

many faces come to mind

The Brother that I replaced

The ones that I left behind

I should have known back then

to get their names and birthplaces

then I could have placed a body

with all of these faces

Dawn is approaching now

my Brothers are here with me

I have names for these faces

they are Rod and Charlie

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America

President

Army Transportation Association Vietnam

ATAV

"A poem for Rod and Charlie"

My dear Lord I know I am home

but I’m not where I need to be

my task is unfinished

and my Brothers and Sisters need me

I have labored long and hard

and have given them my all

it just seems such a small thing to do

for my Brothers and Sisters on the wall

My friends are still hurting

from within and without

they are in need of a champion

to point these things out

My dear child welcome home

you were needed here with me

I have missed your sweet smile

and your bubbling personality

Worry not about your tasks

I will take up your cause

with some help from your friends

we will change the laws

Rest here in my arms

your worries are all gone

your body is whole

and your memory will live on

You have but one more great task to do

and that wonderful task will be

to greet your Brothers and Sisters

as they enter eternity.

Jim Rose, President

Galveston County Chapter 685

Vietnam Veterans of America