graduation

Vietnam
was what people talked about then            
on Main Street
at their jobs
in their homes
in their living rooms
& it was what they argued about
& discussed
away from the blather
of Jed Clampett & Jethro Bodine
& all the other media inanities

Vietnam
was the word
that seemed to always be around
always there
especially
present in the back of your neophytic brain
coming out of high school
then
the reality that
Uncle Sam wanted you
to join up
to be one of his “fightin’ boys”
a team player
& you knew that
your not so benevolent Uncle
didn’t really care
if later
you came home
in a body bag
just so that
you were there

doing Uncle Sam’s dirty duty
with all the rest
of the by-products of
LBJ’s Great Society