Grandpa Never Talked About the War

Grandpa told me about boot camp
The rules the army had and
How it changed the way you lived;
How you learned respect for authority
And responsibility for yourself.

He told me how the stars look
On the other side of the planet
In the middle of the ocean
Off the coast of a country you've
Never seen until just yesterday.

He told me about seeing the world
About the strange people, clothes,
languages, in every corner
Even about Germany where
His oldest son was born.

But Grandpa never mentioned Vietnam
Or the way your world changes
When you watch your brothers fall