Across the Sea

Across the Pacific Ocean

Vietnam’s the spot

Ten thousand miles from you

The spot that God forgot.

We work, we sweat,

It’s more than we can stand

We’re not supposed to be convicts

But defenders of our land.

We’re members of U.S. Armed Forces

Getting very little pay

Defending people with millions

For a lousy two and a half a day.

Living with our memories

Waiting to be with our gals

Hoping all the while

They haven’t married our pals.

Nobody knows we’re living

Nobody gives a damn

At home we are forgotten

We belong to Uncle Sam.

When we die and go to heaven

We’ll hear St. Peter yell

Let the boys from Vietnam through,

For they spent their time in hell.

Hundreds of poems, letters and other testimonials, written and unwritten, have been left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. The poem above was left, unsigned, on or shortly after Memorial Day, May 25, 1987.