The song sadly asks, “My brother, do you still feel

the pain even though your eyes have died?” 

These are very heavy words for me when I hear the

song, and remember a wonderful Montagnard friend

who suffered a horrible wound on Chi Ro Bu.  This

song always brings tears to my eyes.

His terrible screams of pain filled the night.  The

morphine was gone so the Bac Si had nothing to

give him for the pain.  He could only suffer and

pray for death.

Every time he screamed, it felt like a hot poker was

thrust deep into my soul.  I found myself wishing

for his death.

Did I wish for his death to stop the screaming or to

end his intense pain??  Today I still wonder.  Do I

have a black mark on my soul?

The sunlight of morning came but my friend had

died during the last minutes of darkness.  Does he

still feel the pain?

© 5/18/2008 Chuck Schwiderski