For some reason that's worth pondering, the Vietnamese seem to like Americans. In the spirit of Kieu, they seem wise enough to know, following a war -- and they've had many besides the one with us -- there's little benefit to nursing vengeance and holding a grudge. It's time to move on. This may be because they're a small nation with survival as a goal; in our case, we're a huge, imperialistic nation with thriving and domination as a goal. We don't lose wars. It's imprinted in our DNA. My poet friend Bill Ehrhart, a wounded Marine vet, has a short poem that always gets me when I read it.
Do they think of me now
in those strange Asian villages
where nothing ever seemed
quite human
but myself
and my few grim friends
moving through them
hunched
in lines?
When they tell stories to their children
of the evil
that awaits misbehavior,
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
4
4
3
