To Bones On Mutters Ridge
76
Over Mutters Ridge,
Rolled some rolling stones,
But some of these,
Were turned to bones.
On Mutters Ridge,
He was killed one day,
But it took months,
For him to wither away.
He was a dedicated soldier,
Whether he knew it or not.
He was humping the Ridge,
When he was shot.
But, I salute you Bones.
Whose mother’s son are you?
And if she knew the truth,
What would she do?
How long will she sit,
by her garden gate?
For the beautiful son,
of her heart,
she’ll wait.
The mother will live,
Somehow she’ll go on,
Not knowing her son remains,
On Mutters Ridge, alone.
Will you ever be returned,
For your mother to hold?
When will your lonely,
Incredible story be told?
And so the Marine sniper,
Won that day.
Then the scavengers,
Had their way.
What the vultures didn’t take,
the vultures took.
The first to go,
were your boyish looks.
Of course,
there’s no weapon,
now that you’re dead.
There is not a hat,
upon your head.
There is no belt.
There are no shoes.
It’s all too evident,
You’ve paid your dues.
Why, I remember when your shirt,
Was a darker green.
But that was still way after,
You were picked clean.
No belt.
No hat.
No pack.
No AK47.
But you really can’t take this crap to heaven.
No smokes.
No food.
No photo.
No gum.
No letters.
No ammo.
So much time,
And life has passed.
And here you are,
Still in this grass.
All that have passed here,
In all this time,
And many won’t have a clue,
Of the events of this rhyme!
But silently you’ve lain here,
Not giving a hint,
Of what you’ve seen,
Since you’ve been spent.
Why just you, Mr. Bones?
The trail here runs through open ground.
And that’s the bad luck,
That you have found.
Did you see it coming?
Was a sniper your demise?
Can I reconstruct the scene,
Through your hollowed eyes?
But I’ve seen you often.
You’ve never said a word.
We looked and listened.
Never saw, never heard.
Your friends left you there,
For months on end.
It’s interesting, the message,
A dead body can send.
No-one’s been here.
Especially your friends.
And it’s the best propaganda,
To achieve a bitter end.
You’ve been the great warrior.
You’ve done your job well.
For months and months,
You would never tell.
On Mutters Ridge,
You stood pretty tall.
You died for your country.
You gave your all.
And then your army,
Used you so well.
They left you there.
No truths to tell.
And if the Marines,
Should hump your way,
You will be there,
With nothing to say.
Bones gave his country,
his very last breath.
But Bones was a good soldier,
even after death.
Will he be awarded a medal,
or will it be said,
“He was just lying down on the job,
after he was dead!” ...?
~Micky Dee~
I believe it was David Barnhart, John Ramirez, Sleepy, and I. We left our perimeter to assist Barnhart with a little recon. Maybe that's just another word for "drawing fire". But again, we passed Bones. He hadn't changed at all.
So I wondered, with all the time that passed, was he left there on purpose? Would any disturbance of Bones been proof of NVA presence? Bones was left there a long time. Surely, some of his friends came by occasionally.
I'm not really sure of the names but Barnhart. But these were some of the usual suspects. We were all paying close attention to the flora and fauna.
Vietnam Related Hubs by Micky Dee:
Little Mama San
Soldiers Don't Cry When They Say Goodbye
He Had Scrambled Brains For Breakfast Since 1968
God, Thank You For Bringing Our Soldier Home!
Running With Scissors-Semper Fi Stanley Patrick
A Tale Of Two Idiots-A Poem By 50 Caliber & Micky Dee
Vietnam 1968-1969 Or Was It Yesterday?
A "Tale" Of Camp Carroll-The DMZ-Vietnam
Hello Vietnam
More Poems By Micky Dee
Poems of love:
Remembering The Past And Missing You
Warm Yourself With Thoughts Of Love
Poems of Humor:
Jack Benny - the Satchel Paige of Comedy!
My Love Loves A Man Who Snores! An Ode To A Snore
An "index" for the year in Tarwheel Cycling 2010, poems, information:
bonjour Vietnam
CommentsLoading...
Excellent as always Mickey!! ~Hugs~
It's very sad to think how many soldiers on both sides lost their lives there and were wasted away and never found. The price of war is great and huge sufferings await all those who partake.
Much imagery and feeling in this hub Micky, the cost of wars spoils is bitter and let's never forgot those who paid the ultimate price. Peace my brotherman
kids killed today,
but did that bullet
mean to go astray?
my son was called to fight
and kill so I crept that night
knife in hand you'll
not kill another womans child
you'll not go away
his foot was bleeding all night long
I was sad but had I done wrong ?
Hi Micky,hope you don't mind-just a womans perspective!
best from jandee
Sentimental and sad.
Because war is bad.
Soldiers will fall,
What's the point of it all?
Thanks for reminding us, Micky, in such a poetic fashion.
A Hand Salute to you Mic and to the Bones of the Warrior on Mutters Ridge. Great Job.
Death knows no line drawn on a map,a beautiful exhalation,Micky.;)
Good on you mate!
Awesome Tribute
Thank You Micky.
Standing ovation to you and the dead soldier and so many others like Mr Bones, who are martyred while trying to protect the others.. War and blood shed goes against the humane nature...
A very touching truth is told though your words...
Thanks for sharing ;)
How many young lives have been wasted in wars created by selfish old men wanting power?
Very well done Micky.
Mic' the bones on the ridge, what are the chances of branch? almost zero of the Navy, and double and more of all others. My memory is getting loose but seems to me retrieving a dead Marine was as important as retrieving any Marine, 2 in front, 2 in the rear 6 to 8 willing to get off and fetch a brother they had never met. Not prudent to allow for a time when the ground grew cold, seems like, best I remember the question "why risk 11 and an aircraft for a dead body" and if it were ever said I'm not sure if the inquiring mind would have been ordered off the flight or thrown off the flight and at what altitude.
Excellent write that churned to life a pondering that lead me to realize that I, never, not ever, worried about being left behind short of a Bird dog calling an F4 laden with 500 pound snake eyes into the middle of my main course of beans and baby cranks, leaving nothing to be found but a crater in the ground. An ominous epiphany of realizing that if we didn't call for it, we didn't know they were coming and at air-speeds much faster than the speed of sound the jock hit the after burners and the ordinance was going off at about the time the sound of the approach was drowned out by the burners and bombs, a millisecond of the last sound I knew for someone, was indeed the last sound Semper Fi, dust
Brother, I'm never sure how to comment when you write about that place. I'll just quote The Last Poets "It's glorious to die for a cause but not because". Peace in your life Micky Dee!! Tom and Justin
Brother Micky what a beautiful and compelling write, Peace brother man
God Bless
Micky, thank you so much for sharing this very compelling poem. Your writing is excellent.
The videos are excellent.
yes, sad, but you did a great honor to his memory even if no one knows. very well said.
...excellent tribute.....for many i'm sure....
...went to Arlington and was in awe of the unknown soldiers' tomb..guarded 24/7... i had quiet and tender thoughts about all those that were never brought home from war and those that were....such a place of peace it was...i sat awhile and took it all in...it was a beautiful day...the vietnam grave remains empty...
...i truly believe everyone should go visit Arlington...and feel it...most can't access Mutter's Ridge...but Arlington's there for all...to catch a glimpse...including this Canuck...travelled far just to feel and see it...my own eyes....
(sister, MD...not a bro.... :) :) )
God bless you all for appreciating "Bones". God bless!
This is my second visit - I needed time to process your words and images. It is very powerful.
A beautiful, touching poem. The pictures make it even stronger.
Very strong.. Filled with reality..
Some memories live forever. Evidence that the price of war is never satisfied. Memories come to extract another pint of blood from the ravaged heart some battle field from yesterday let get away. It pours as ink upon your page, because some things cost just to damn much, to be forgotten. Well done!
If my brothers were still alive (both of whom were in Viet Nam) I know that they would appreciate your writings of that terrible war. You continue to touch hearts and souls, Micky. Will people ever learn the true price of war?
Enjoyed both videos. Up and useful.
it was the little kid on the left looking at the camera.
A beautiful tribute to those who gave everything only to be left alone, unclaimed and abandoned. I think of the young boys, on both sides, who were left without the dignity they earned and the families who are left behind to wonder in their loss and grief. You, Micky Dee, have created a memorial for these valiant young people that should be posted at the wall with the names of every person who died unacknowledged...their journey to Heaven, alone and unknown. Thank you
Very beautiful and sad. Will the memories ever go away? I don't think so, nor, will our leaders remember what was lost, both sides. Bones is a reminder that 'Only the good die young' Thank you Micky. This is one of your best,
Love and Peace
Remarkable and very reflective of what this terrible war wrought in so many ways. Thank you for sharing this. We should never forget.
Dear heaven, my brotherman, you capture the senselessness so well. When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn?
Thank you, thank you. I love you so much, dear Micky!
Love and peace
Tony
God bless you all for loving "Bones"! It's right back at you brother Tony. God bless you all!
Lovely words descriptive of the terrors and sorrows of war. Thanks, Micky
Dead bones lie, but Semper Fi
none left behind is where I die.
Dead bones lie, a place to rest
but dead bones walking, that's the best.
I know sometimes you think you're dead bones walking; you and 50 and so many others left so much behind. But you're alive, you have the Life, and your life is the world to me. Semper Fi brother
...well this proves two things - that children are children all over the world - and that you are the greatest hubber of all time!
Excellent poem! I haven't been around much - working two jobs so just too tired. I'll try to get caught up on your recent work soon, very interesting reading.
Dear Micky, this experience in your life has changed you forever, I feel for all your hubs that your pain in your heart runs deep. Your heart is broken, are you broken? A memory of time so long ago, intense pain, comes into your soul. You ride to keep you pain away, it takes that energy you have towards your past to try to hold the thoughts,yet to keep them in honor or those that left us to protect others. Ilove you, I love this hub, and I feel your words. I have always been able to feel rather then read just a poem, or story. Rate way up, peace & love darski
Fitting tribute to those fallen in battle. We should never forget; unfortunately we never seem to remember. This tale was played out to you in the jungles of Vietnam, but similiar instances were played out elsewhere. We experienced it on the fields of Antietam, in the forest of the Ardennes, and in the ports of Inchon. I hope one day we can turn our swords back into plowshares. Thank you for sharing.
I appreciate all the kind words here. God bless you all. This like some other hubs are hard for me to comment on. I often feel that I've laid it all out there. The comments here are so wonderful I feel like my commenting in return may be only distracting. But I want to say something to my dear Darski. Yes ma'am. I was broken. I have been broken, really broken, several times. I remain broken. My writings from day one should testify to this. I'll never recover. I do ride my bike to fend the memories and pain away. I work cross-word puzzles, sudoku, cryptoquotes, etc. I try to keep my head occupied. Thank you for understanding Darski. Thank you all. God bless.
Hi Micky,
Another great one and I loved it. You have the great gift in that you are able to breathe life into your hubs.
From the minute that we suffer great pain physically and pshycologicaly, we are adjusting and never return to our selves exactly as we were prior these life changing events.
However we do cope in this way !!! How do we cope ???
Well that's a difficult one isn't it Micky, we just do.
Events have made you into a strong soul with the greatest gift one can ever have and that is 'Empathy'.
Thank you once more for sharing this great hub and I push all the buttons on this one !!!
take care Micky,
Eiddwen.
Good work, my uncle. I love this poem. You made this so beautiful and really touch my heart. All the kids on your pictures were amazing. Thanks for share with us. God bless you.
Your nephew, prasetio
This is a good poem.
This is another beautiful piece of poetry. It reveals a sad reality with so much emotion on it. Being in war is quite difficult, but the effects of war are remorseful. This is a good reminder to all of us. You should compile all your poems. Perhaps, you might want to consider publishing it someday. Have a great week!
So much time,
And life has passed.
And here you are,
Still in this grass.
The above sent glittering tears down my bowls.Dad, wonder why you have not been awarded the best poet of our time or a noble prize?
Bones amongst stones – What is alive change to bones, as dead as stones.... not only during wars, but everyday during our actions and counteractions. Thanks for a thought-provoking hub, Micky! Take care.
Sounds like a bad experience Micky. My UK generation was lucky; we didn't have war to deal with - all we had to worry about was Cliff Richards’ singing. It was a nice piece of rhyming though - an engaging read.
Many bones remained in place in that hell hole of SEA. My good friend George, lay in the shards of what was left of a C-130 gunship for over ten years while his family waited for answers. Vietnam may slip slowly into history but the scars it left are deep and still very visible. Your verse rings true for many in many ways, Micky. Thanks for sharing. WB
Beautiful, beautiful poem, just as you are Mickey Dee, may our Lord be with you always!! Voted-Up!
God bless you all. Thank you for loving Bones!
you never cease to amaze me. This was wonderful . Thank you. xx
Oh Dim- you raise my spirits. God bless you dear on!
What a beautiful soul you are and may your deep and profound empathy flood the world with its much needed love. :) Katie
God bless your mom Katie- and you! I am praying she does well. God bless you!
Disturbingly good Micky.
How sad. Even though the soul is no longer present it seems disgraceful for a body not to receive a proper burial.
"From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity". - Thomas Moore
Greetings! I was on the Ridge with Echo 2/3 in 1969. I remember after the battle on August 10-11-69, one of my fellow Marines stated that we could have lost an Einstein or Pasteur on either side as we surveyed the damage. I simply commented to the Lt. that the place looked like Dante's Inferno. So many of the NVA Dead thrown into the common grave of a bomb crater. All those beautiful people on both sides had their future taken from them. So many loved ones never really knowing what they had gone through before they died. KIA still has a horrible gut wrenching ring to it. How they all weathered the elements, the suffocating heat and cold wet monsoon nights. Ah yes, and the sound of the mosquitoes dive bombing you at night so they could drink some of your anemic blood and share the joy of the malarial plasmodium. And yes, there were many a "Bones" and walking dead on that ridge. Some say Delta 1/9
were the walking dead, and echo 2/3 was the ghost of 1/9.
God bless you pmccray. God bless you dear!
C.T. Clements - beautiful! A very accurate description. 10-11-69, it should have been "wet" around that time. What an awful place to be at anytime. I think "Bones" was still there. God bless you C.T. Clements!
Beautiful, sad, compelling. I sent someone I loved off to Viet Nam in 1969 and he was lucky enough to make it back, alas, a lot of others didn't. Let us never, ever forget. Thank you for a beautiful commentary.
BobbiRant Level 4 Commenter 15 months ago
Sad, compelling and showing so much feeling. This was a wonderful read and it touches me very deeply. You're a good man ya know. Loved it.