Where were you on the 4th of May in 1970 when the sun shone hot

and summer had begun to make itself known to spring?

I was at Kent State protesting the undeclared war in Cambodia,

acting as a citizen, doing my patriotic duty,

stunned when the national guard moved toward us

glad when they moved away.

Foolishly we followed, asking why they chose to represent

the men who called people gooks and had them slaughtered in their villages,

the leaders who lied and ordered their brothers to kill and be killed in the name of liberty.



Where were you on the 17th of August in 1969 when the breeze swept through the mountains

cooling the hot summer air, singing through the trees?

I was at Woodstock dancing with my sisters and brothers,

women and men linking arms together against the lying man

bound by respect for the earth, celebrating.

It was peace and love, and the music of our time that filled us as we

watched the pain of the man's rejection of our generation

being erased from our souls.



Where were you on the 30th of January 1968 when the chill had set in hard

and winter made it impossible to stand against the wearying wind?

I was in South Vietnam fighting with my brothers who had become my country,

of which I was a citizen, so I did my duty,

surviving the heat of the jungle, the dark of the tunnels,

saving each other to do it again; following orders, not questioning why,

just counting down the days on a short-timers calendar,

wanting to live long enough to fly home to the world.



Where were you on the 9th of November 2004 when fall danced his last tango,

twirling between the raindrops, sweeping away leaves in the wind?

I was talking to my neighbors, asking them to vote for change,

acting as a citizen, doing my patriotic duty

watching election returns with hope on my sleeve,

waiting for word from my daughter in Iraq,

praying she would live through a war led by a man who lies in the name of liberty.