Those years I lived from inside out
spent trembling in the winter’s sun
seem distant now
I hardly can recall,
the race of my young heart
the terror of being unlike the rest
the rage of youth as we’d stampede
then settle down to homework’s tasks
In our innocence we believed
our generation was different from the rest
and for a brief moment in time
we made “peace on earth”
and felt one with humanity
inside the safety of our parents nest
As time passed
we left to roam the country side
running from or searching for ourselves
while our brothers and our neighbors sons
roamed the jungles
sworn to protect a sacred trust
“God and Country”
I remember when
those words were a just call to arms
Both armies, those in jungle boots,
and those barefoot in bellbottom jeans
took casualties
from friendly fire and their enemies
some crashed and burned
some wear the scars today
those terrible times, those terrible years
And now well past
the age as teens, we swore we’d never trust
I live this life from the outside in
and watch my two sons grow
I try, to filter out
those times of tumult we lived through
so I can clearly see
the race of their young hearts
the terror of being unlike the rest
the rage of youth as they stampede
then settle down to homework’s tasks
inside the safety of their parent’s nest
Daniel Rutberg 