Poem by Paul Hapenny

"A Craquelure Life" by Cindy Williams



Nights In War Zones

Every night I’m down in the Delta
chasing the Shiite Cong
automatic weapon on rock ‘n roll
face pressed down in a foot deep hole
Lord protect me now
let’s get it on motherfucker

Every night I’m in the Triangle
greasing the Sunni Cong
diddy bopping round Abdul’s I E D’s
lizard breath from amphetamines
Jesus keep me now
let’s get it on motherfucker

Every night I’m in the Free Fire Zone
killing Al Qaeda Cong
got my claymores out and daisy chained
squeeze the clacker cause a world of pain
God forgive me now
let’s get it on motherfucker

I follow my orders and I go where I’m sent
Hope I get home before my youth’s all spent
‘Cause brother I’ve seen some horrible shit
And I can’t figure out the fucking sense in it

I got Arty and Puff and Apaches on call
Quick Reaction Forces to kill ‘em all
I got tanks, Fast Movers and A P C’s
and I pray a little luck’s ‘tween the morgue and me

Every night I’m down with my nightmares
ducking the Viet Cong
been thirty seven years back in the World
12 years sober for my little girls
God accept me now
I got it on motherfucker

Every damn night we’re here and there with
Pleiku and Baghdad Cong
Turned 19 in a condition red
shitload of buddies ended up dead
God embrace them now
They got it on motherfucker

Every night when I’m dead and gone there’ll
always be another Cong
ripping up the peace of some poor prick’s mind
while the old, rich, white men are living fine
God, they bought and sold
And schooled us dumb motherfuckers