SON OF AMERICA

That Asian war you fought - was it all for Uncle Sam?
Did it seem so fair to you when the blood of America ran?
And can you still remember how "Charlie" killed your friends
And the bittersweet homecoming for the Purple Hearts that bled?

Son of America - hero of the War
Do you still remember what the scars are for?
They said you all were heroes but they didn't give a damn
They left you to find your own way when you returned from Vietnam.

Death was in the jungle - you were always on the run
Your buddies were the losers in a war that no one won
They made you all those promises that just turned into lies
One too many promises - far too many goodbyes.

Son of America - hero of the War
I know you get the feeling you've been down that road before
They said you all were heroes but they didn't really care
They threw you out onto the streets when you got back from there.

You walked out on a high wire and they pretended not to see
The prison that they'd made for you that meant you'd never be free
When you finally made it home everybody called you 'son'
But you were old beyond your years - another war had just begun.


Copyright 2002 Heloise B Riddell

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