Regarding Viet Nam
At some point, my lottery number
was in the mid 300s. I was safe
for whatever reason. No need
to burn my draft card. So I burned
My Social Security card, instead.
No problem- when I needed a new one,
there it came, delivered by the USPS.
Though I felt at risk, I never was.
My lucky guilt follows me, here and now,
in Century Twenty One, the most appalling
of centuries, which will find us gasping
at its end, if not sooner. My history
will never be repeated. I am sad, beyond reason.
I am relieved, beyond reason.
I am released, beyond reason,
though I am released, with absolutely no reason.
was in the mid 300s. I was safe
for whatever reason. No need
to burn my draft card. So I burned
My Social Security card, instead.
No problem- when I needed a new one,
there it came, delivered by the USPS.
Though I felt at risk, I never was.
My lucky guilt follows me, here and now,
in Century Twenty One, the most appalling
of centuries, which will find us gasping
at its end, if not sooner. My history
will never be repeated. I am sad, beyond reason.
I am relieved, beyond reason.
I am released, beyond reason,
though I am released, with absolutely no reason.
I was # 296.*
Thank you, Tim.
"Lucky guilt" says a whole helluva lot.
Thank you, Matt.
I am reminded of what William Gibson, another futurist, once said about how his number wasn't called, but it was, he likely would have gone, since he "wasn't a tightly wrapped package back then."
Yuk yuk!
(But who is, really ... ?)
What Mathew said.
Thank you, Crabby. I enjoy Gibson and his insights.
Thank you, Erika.
Stunning, reminding us all who made it this far of our lucky guilt. *
319.
Fine poem, Gary.
*
Thank you, Beate.
Thank you, Bill.
*, Gary. Well-written poetry. I like this. It wasn't dodging.
Thank you, David.
really enjoyed this *
Thank you, Foster.
When I got back from Vietnam, I discovered that, because I went in at the age of seventeen and had neglected to register, the Selective Service had me down as a draft evader, so I called them up and told them I had just got back from the war. The man who took my call said, "You must come down right away and register or you may be considered to be a draft evader and could be arrested." His tone was officious and snippy, so I told him to go fuck himself with his #2 pencil and hung up the phone. Three weeks later, I got a draft card in the mail. I buried it in the backyard with full honors, covered it with a pine cone and forgot about it until just now. Thank you, Gary. You didn't miss a thing.
Amazing story, James.
Nicely done, Gary. JLD, that's a heck of a story.
Beautiful. *
Thank you, Christian.
Thank you, Chris.
Thanks.
Thank you, Dianne.
Resonant (the draft and Vietnam were both past tense by the time I graduated) and thought-provoking. Good work.
Thank you, Edward.
"Hey, come on now we're marching to the sea
Got a revolution, got to revolution
Who will take it from you, we will and who are we?
Well, we are volunteers of America, volunteers of America,
Volunteers of America, volunteers of America"
Good piece, Gary. Also made me revisit a ch. in The Things They Carried.
*
I've got a revolution
Got a revolution
Thank you, Sam.
Well, look at us.
Thank you, Joani.