Que Son Valley Contractors

30/10/2026

He walked the Valley at 18 years old looked about 15 if truth be told
He met the leaches , the ants , the snakes
with every step praying he'd catch a break
Learned how close to him the bullets came
the closest calling out his name
Got to shoot the bushes and the trees
laying on his belly , kneeling on his knees
When he came out he'd lost 30 pounds
got hit by 3 Ak rounds
Spent a month at 1st Med.
next to the place that held 110 dead
And he looked ... 70 years old .

22/10/2026

All my Hero's have gray hair
a s**t eating grin and a thousand yard stare
Some bear an orange tint some a bit of a limp
but through the thick and the thin
I've never known better men.

20/10/2026

I saw more dead in 13 months at 18 years old then most see in a lifetime and I see them still .

10/10/2026

I had a talk with myself the other day
you should have heard what the younger me had to say
he talked of places near and far
full moons and shining stars
a trail that he had walked
Man , how that kid talked
he spoke of a Valley cloaked in mist
of the 5th Marines , that was a trip
he told me of Purple hearts
of too many false starts
of feeling his dreams fade away
of how it was back in the day
When I thought he was done for good
then...
he spoke of the Brotherhood
and when he did I could see him swell with pride
of all he'd done to survive
and right before my eyes
I could see in the glow
that 18 year old kid who into me would grow
and down my cheeks the tears ran
I gave him a hug , shook his hand ,
I've never been a better man.

09/10/2026

My House Mouse !

02/10/2026

Different Wars...Same results .

18/09/2026

I was out mowing the lawn the other day
when I saw an old friend , his name I won't say
he was walking point for his squad
and all I could say was ... Oh my God !
I hadn't seen him in close to 60 years
back when every day was filled with fears
Well..I looked at him ..and said Welcome home
Glad you made out of that trap
then I woke up from my nap...

13/09/2026

I get 2 birthdays every year
one is drawing near
for if not for one I'd never have another
Hats off to my brothers
those who I hope celebrate
we who evaded fate
fought the demon escaped its wrath
still walk the path
So here's to all of you
I'll say a prayer as I add another candle to
a day, a date, a place, a time
when I began this life of mine.

09/09/2026

True Story

There were words that told stories . Words that conveyed hope. Words found in prayer. Then there were these words.

Me and Bailey are burning the s**t .We're talking, rather Bailey's talking. He went out on a patrol that morning. The squad jumped by , ambushed by , annihilated by a platoon of VC. Bailey made it to a river where he hid , tucked into the reeds like an old Tarzan movie, watched them search ,give up , walked away .
Rescued , back on the hill , in front of the brass .Grilled like a piece of meat . Implying , never saying , he ran , a coward. Better he had perished . Better for whom ? Better for them . Less paper work to do . Less explaining . "We don't know what happened . There were no survivors ." Bailey was an... embarrassment . A career killer . When they were done they sent him out to burn their s**t . Not a bit of the old Esprit de Corps. No, no, none of that .
The .... embarrassment .... was sent out to burn their s**t .

Now , I imagine him , lurching out of his bed , pulse racing , heart
pounding , the smell of the river filling the room , VC staring from the shadows , transported back to a time when the VC weren't the only ones who wanted you dead .

There would be no leaving that world and no forgetting his words. .
" Those fu***rs wanted me dead . "