Found Poem: Attention All Military Personnel

Attention All Military Personnel

You may soon be sent to Vietnam.

The enemy, they say, is everywhere.

The old woman feeding her chicken.

The little boy who trails after the American soldiers.

The washerwoman at the American air base.

It is impossible to tell which are the Viet Cong,

and which are the civilians.

The military is taking no chances.

Your job is to win the people of South Vietnam

Win them to what?

The American way of life?

We can't speak their language

or even pronounce their names.

We don't know anything about their religion

or even what it is.

We never even heard of Vietnam

until Washington decided to run it.

As a soldier you have been trained to obey orders,

but as a human being you must take

responsibility for your own acts.

We hope that you find yourself

unable to tolerate this nightmare war,

and we hope that you will oppose it.

We don't know what kind of risks we are taking

in giving you this.

You won't know what risk you will be taking

in opposing the war.

But whatever you do,

keep your eyes open.

Draw your own conclusions .

Don't be afraid to ask questions,

keep asking.

You might be forced to do some fighting.

You may feel the war is wrong.

Good luck.

     This is a found poem is derived from a pamphlet that was distributed to induction centers, American military bases, and sent to soldiers in Vietnam. The pamphlet's circulation provoked threats of incrimination for treason. The found poem conveys the disapproval many felt for the Vietnam War and the opposition they felt was necessary.

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