Nobody Gets Off the Bus:
The Viet Nam Generation Big Book

Volume 5 Number 1-4
March 1994

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Poetry by Antler

Anthem

Not standing when Star-Spangled Banner played

by Milwaukee Symphony outdoors in Marcus Amphitheater,

near Lake Michigan and downtown Milwaukee

before the Beethovan's Ninth Concert,

Everyone else standing, everyone else singing,

Putting my head in one hand as it plays so heroic,

Thinking of all the Iraqi dead,

the dead men murdered by our soldiers

as they retreated,

Thinking of Vietnam, My Lai, Wounded Knee, Dresden, Nagasaki,

Thinking back to Washington Park 20 years ago Vietnam War era

one summer eve the Star-Spangled Banner played

before Pagliacci

and not standing then, everyone singing,

Remembering the hateful threats and curses whispered

behind me.

Now no curses or threats, only singing sadly and sweetly

mothers and fathers whose voices seem

soft-spoken and sorrowful too

as if they think me Vietnam Veteran

remembering his bestfriend killed there

and remember their bestfriend

killed in World War II or Korea,

No tone of defiant patriotism to my ears,

No growl of rage in the melody,

Only a sound of many melancholy voices trying

to sound cheefful, hopeful, trying

to believe we still are

the great nation we were taught we were

and thought we were

in gradeschool,

No tone of hate or scorn--as if they understand

why I will never stand

for the Star-Spangled Banner

or the American Flag again.

America became Ecotopia and Ecotopia's flag was the Wilderness

and Ecotopia's National Anthem is the wind.

America loved itself so much

it became Ecotopia

after all.

Now we play no National Anthem

And need no Symphony or Aphitheater

or downtown or Milwaukee

As we sit and listen to crickets

and watch fireflies as it gets dark

in hot July along the pure fresh-water shores

of Great Lake Michigan.