Vietnam

i wanted to fight so i went to war
i thought it was right
to fight for my country
but then i saw the torture
i saw the misery the pain and the dead
and i was wounded now i'm paralyzed
all this has changed my point of view
i shot enemies now i know they are humans
i shot civilists now i know i'm a murderer
i had time to think now i want to tell
those young men who want to be soldiers
who want to fight in a war for their country
that i've seen it that i'm a victim of war
and that i don't want them to do
the same mistake
every time i close my eyes
i can hear the screams
i can see the dead and the fire
i don't want them to see the things i saw
i want to tell them they needn't to be
soldiers to be men
and i've learned that love and forgiveness
is better than hate and war
but now those people who sent me
to their war forbid me to speak
about the love about the pleasure
about the youth i've lost