O, Brother, Come with Me
©1987 Vince Vance
I remember the sun in my brother's blond hair
I can still hear his laughter so glee
For he was the Summer and I was the Wind
And I said, "O, Brother, come with me!"
I remember the sound of my bat hitting the ball
I can still see him chase it through weeds
We romped through the woods, two pals arm-in-arm
And he said, "Where you go, I'll be."
I remember the dance and the girls that we kissed
I can still feel the night air so crisp
And when duty called my country to serve
I said, O, Brother, come with me!"
I remember the march through the fields of Quang Tri
I can still smell the napalm and guns
But together we fought, two brothers side-by-side
And the sarge said, "The fightin' ain't done."
Through cities we marched named Dong Hoi and Nong Het
But most of the places we tried to forget
We cried to see families ravaged by war
So then, we held hands and together we swore
That we'd make it back and together go home
And he said, "Dear Brother, you ain't alone."
We plodded mud patches and prayed inside huts
And I still shiver from the blasts that scared us so much
We shared rancid rations in a wet, dirty trench
Then helped each other through the bodies and stench.
I try not to think of spilled blood in the dust
Though seared on my soul is the fight near Ben Tre
A young, yellow soldier was shooting at us
And my brother jumped front of the bullet intended for me
And I saw him fall in the fields near Ben Tre.
I buried my brother with my hands and my tears
And then I ask God why He took him from me
I sat there, lost, groping a mound of earth . . . alone
His last words, "Where you go I'll be."
I remember the sun in my brother's blond hair
I can still hear his laughter so glee
For he was the Summer and I was the Wind
And I said, "O, Brother, come with me!"
