This poem was born on a hilltop over forty-five years ago in Vietnam. It is the result of the experiences both of its author and the Vietnamese people. Its many fragments came together into final form twenty five years later. The length of time it took to develop this elegy is a testament to the enduring impact of the Vietnam conflict on our national psyche and the men and women who served there. This is not a pro-war poem. Rather, is it an attempt to look honestly at the impact of that war on those who served on both sides of the conflict.