double agent of death

[saw]

the flora gagged....
breathed no more
like a victim of the sniper's bullet
that rips through the heart,
slain quickly and completely

the soldiers took a little longer
the kids of Phu Cat too
as they watched the great
mechanical birds
excrete eerie orange droppings

that painted their once peaceful world
with an unnaturally exquisite
poison
Big Daddy Dioxin
crept

an unholy heat-seeking serpent
inside unsuspecting cells
like the Viet Cong slithered
along the jungle floor
burned skin, watery eyes

the genesis of vegetable children
defoliated innocents grew ill, as did
offspring of their offspring
the deformed souvenirs remaining
as the trail-dust settled

Operation Hades
removed the unwanted
plant life
and oh so much more
oh double dealing agent of death

left behind
damaged goods
soft tissue sarcoma
lymphocytic leukemia
and Da Nang still weeps

and America is pained
our veterans betrayed
as the evil scientist, Dr. Dow
and his demented assistant Monsanto
heaved over-stuffed duffel bags

of rancid blood money
onto to the shoulders of men of business
who marched without remorse
indifferent to the cadence of beating hearts
double time.............to the bank.

[leafsailors ghost]

This is the truth!