I Remember and I Forget 

We landed in Da Nang Dec. 18, 1971,
the Bob Hope show came through,
four days later I was in Bien Hoa.
I missed morning formation
and 1st Sarge gave me guard duty.
I missed morning formation again 
and got KP that day
and guard duty that night.
I remember and I forget.
My unit came in from the bush,
I met those guys for the first time
and they treated me like family.
I served 11 Bravo in Vietnam
and died inside for a lifetime.
Saw human bodies shot meat raw.
Smoked cigarettes to stop thinking.
I remember and I forget.
We green-lined for months at Tuy Hoa,
then returned to Firebase Bunker Hill.
I was made Head RTO for my unit.
We were the 1st and 12th CAV.
I remember and I forget.
To this day
all I ever wanted
was to hear someone say
welcome home soldier, welcome home.
I remember and I forget.


by Contributing Poet  Granville Holt   Copyright © 2021 
VWP 2021     First published in  VietnamWarPoetry.com  

Bio:  Granville Holt  was born and raised in eastern Oklahoma. Spent too little time on his Grandpa's farm in Old Remy community. Those days were great joys of play and learning. Sometime later he moved to California and that's where he graduated High School. Was drafted in 1970, sent to Vietnam and was discharged during a time the Army was giving early outs. He has now returned to the same area of Old Remy and made his own home there. Of course now he is retired and enjoys the outdoors of eastern Oklahoma, Writing has been a singular passion which perhaps has saved him thousands in therapy, or so his Aunt says.​