Blog #4

This week, I read a poem about the Vietnam war. Although it has to do with Vietnam, it focuses more on the effects of the war and post-war stress than it does on events that took place during the war.

THE NIGHTMARE NEVER ENDS

Close your eyes and go to sleep,
My poor, haunted soldier man,
I'll try my best to keep you safe,
In any way I possibly can.

Cradled there in my loving arms.
He drifted off to Vietnam once more.
I tried my best to soothe him,

But he was already back in the war.

His body's tense and twitching,

                                                            As he dreams of yesteryear,

I call out his name in vane,
Just trying to ease his fear.

But the battle is already brewing,

He's in the mist of a fire fight

And for what seems like an eternity,
My soldier thrashes in the night.

And it's too late to bring him home,

He's fighting along side his brothers,
He hears his comrades cry out in pain,
And call out for their mothers.

He's soaked in sweat as he jumps about,
He feels the bullets whizzing by,
His body's numb as he checks himself,
He's so certain he's gonna die.

No, not today my brave hero,

Though you've lost so many friends

He opens his eyes as the dream has past,

But the nightmare never ends.

-Chris Woolnough

This poem described one possible effect that is likely to occur due to trauma during war. It was very meaningful to me because it was so descriptive; I felt that the descriptions created a tone of fear, which accurately reflected the feelings of a returning soldier. It expressed the haunting nightmares that the traumatizing events of war are likely to cause.  The beginning of the poem is somewhat relaxed. At first, Woolnough describes it as "drifting back to Vietnam" which is a statement that could almost be mistaken for something peaceful. Surrounding this line are lines that use words such as "loving" and "soothe." All of the sudden, a harsher word choice starts being used including phrases like "fire fight," "cry out in pain," "soaked in sweat," "bullets whizzing by," and "body's numb." Juxtaposing these two parts of the poem emphasizes the intensity of the fear that is being illustrated in the poem. In my opinion, the poem is able to create a clear understanding of the severe anxiety, worry, and panic that soldiers have to endure upon their return home.