The Lieutenant Wore Black

THE LIEUTENANT WORE BLACK

© 2009 Craig Chereek, all rights reserved

You can tell a lot about a war by its’ heroes,
be they sharpshooting’ dough-boys or fliers huntin’ zeros.
Joan wanted to know where the flowers had gone.
She and Arlo Guthrie were the heroes of Saigon

You can believe the TV News has left out most that matters, and
spliced in every inch of tape that poisons, bleeds, or flatters.
The old men on the upper floors whisper when they talk
of ways to twist the news to pump the stock.
Where are the heroes of the War in Iraq?
Under her burka, the Lieutenant wore black.

You have e-mail? You have power, your contacts are your ammo.
”We count ‘em all in Washington,” the Senator told the panel.
“Its’ good to know what the people think, ‘n’ it really sure is nice, to
wave them at the lobbyists (they help to jack the price).”
Where are the heroes of the War in Iraq?
Under her burka, the Lieutenant wore black.

Bedrock’s lost its’ grip on the sediments,
ancient rain rides the wind as our old heroes rust.
We’re not fated to be faded if yer conscience has a plan,
You have a voice, you have a choice. I bought myself some stamps,
and I wrote my smiling Senators to tell ‘em what I thinks…
my last letter said, “Sir: The whole thing stinks.”

You can tell a lot about a war by its’ heroes,
be they sharpshooting’ dough-boys or fliers huntin’ zeros.
Joan wanted to know where the flowers had gone.
She and Arlo Guthrie were the heroes of Saigon
Where are the heroes of the War in Iraq?
Under her burka, the Lieutenant wore black.

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