With a Tear in Your Eye

You gave your service; we gave you our praise,
You lived through this horror, now struggle through the days.
Your legs and arms, once straight and true,
The wages of war left them useless to you.
Now look up to heaven and see your flag fly,
You’ll understand freedom, with a tear in your eye.

No climbing the stairs, no chasing the dog,
You’re sitting there lonely, can’t rise from the fog.
You looked up to God for the answer to this,
He said, “Son, it was not I who chose this abyss.”
Now look up to heaven and see your flag fly,
You’ll understand freedom, with a tear in your eye.

You cry and labor and shudder with pain,
I see you gave more for freedom to gain.
You committed your life, but you gave them much more,
I pray they forget not the horrors of war.
Now look up to heaven and see your flag fly,
You’ll understand freedom, with a tear in your eye.

You did it for country and God above,
You did it for peace, which we all love.
You fought to free families under the dome,
Of oppression and torture, they had no home.
Now look up to heaven and see your flag fly,
You’ll understand freedom, with a tear in your eye.
You’ll understand freedom, with a tear in your eye.

Lawrence “Pie” Matthew Piemontese
Vietnam era, USAF, 1964-1968