Joe was a 'Nam vet
And he learned a lot.
He learned that Uncle Sam was an asshole.
He learned that his girlfriend
did not want
a guy who had lost
both legs and his balls.
Joe also learned
that life in a wheelchair
is not worth
a medal and a VA pension.
Joe was bitter,
had chronic depression,
and drove nurses nuts.
But all that has changed
Joe has been saved
And that's why
We call him
'Born Again Joe'.
Now he is happy
dreaming of heaven
with new legs and new balls.
He is even happier
dreaming of a fire pit
for his ex-girlfriend,
the Vietnamese,
Jane Fonda,
and everyone else
who does not accept
Jesus as he has.
ps. This is not a poem--it's a short story.
by John B. Denson
Joe is not his real name, but he is a real-life young Vietnam veteran that I met when I was doing some volunteer work in a VA hospital. --J.B.D.