The Wall

Cigarettes and a bottle of beer

This poem that I wrote for you

This black stone and these hard tears

Are all I got left now of you

I remember you in your Marine uniform laughing

Laughing at your ship out party

I read Robert McNamara says he's sorry

Your high boots and striped T-shirt

Oh Billy you looked so bad

You and your rock-n-roll band

You were the best thing this **** town ever had

Now the men who put you here

Eat with their families in rich dining halls

And apology and forgiveness

Got no place here at all

Here at the wall

I'm sorry I missed you last year

I couldn't find no one to drive me

If your eyes could cut through that black stone

Tell me would they recognize me

For the living time it must be served,

The day goes on

Cigarettes and a bottle of beer

Skin on black stone

On the ground dog tags and wreaths of flowers

With the ribbons red as the blood

Red as the blood you spilled

In the Central Highlands mud

Limousines rush down Pennsylvania Avenue

Rustling the leaves as they fall

And apology and forgiveness got no place here at all

Here at the wall