Written by Joe "Pappadoc" Boydell
Corpsman with the Marines of Mike 3/5
Vietnam 1970

Both war and love have done their best
to bring me to my knees
I always rise to fight again
a strength that no one sees

My task has been to be right here
and never be the last
My battle's with the future now
tho' sometimes with the past
~~~
There have been many times I nearly gave 
my life to grant another
To be the guide, the one to speak
for all men are my brother

I stood up for the rights of all
and took the whip's pure might
For all are not as strong as I
with strength to stand the blight

The end drew near so many times
and recently too nigh
My voice I fear it fails me now
my will about to die
~~~
An ally do I seek to know
who understands my fright
A friend who knows as much as I
to aid me in my fight

The most demanding fight of all
it's time for me to see
The fear, I know, is it takes place
right here inside of me

And now's the time to find our true
if ever I was right
Do I know what I am-or's this
my Don Quixote fight
~~~
I found out true whose fight it is
but didn't like the score
More often are the battles won
while losing even more

Take the ground it turns to stone
and whip a weary foe
Move in close to gloat a bit
then land the fatal blow

A King I am, of all the world
an empty victory
A King I am, a royal clown
I rule no one but me
~~~
Destroy the world, leave not a thing
I've put it all to test
No more windmills, no more fears
I put my mind to rest

The world is gone, no life exists
no dragons do I see
There's nothing left, but yet it's there
I've beat no one but me
~~~
To rise again, as done before
to fight as in the past
No. Not again, I say, but then
you have not heard the last
~~~

[Home] [Intro] [Table of Contents] [What's New] [My Marines] [FMF Corpsmen] [Combat Wives]
[Combat Histories] [Memorials] [Stories, Poems, Memoirs] [Reunions] [Special Tributes]
[Picture Gallery] [Links] [Guestbook] [Message Forum]