Carrying the Darkness: The Poetry of the Vietnam War [Paperback]

W. D. Ehrhart (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1989

This is one of the very best anthologies of poetry to come out of the Vietnam War. The poets here have given their experiences an energy that transcends time and grabs your heart. Read these poems and know that you will never be the same.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A Second-hand Elegy; For Douglas Dickey, Pfc., Usmc by Michael Anania
Peace With Honor by Philip Appleman
Waiting For The Fire by Philip Appleman
After Our War by John Balaban
Along The Mekong by John Balaban
April 30, 1975; For Bui Ngoc Huong by John Balaban
Dead For Two Years, Erhart Arranges To Meet Me In A Dream by John Balaban
The Dragonfish by John Balaban
For Mis Tin In Hue by John Balaban
For Mrs. Cam, Whose Name Means 'printed Silk' by John Balaban
Graveyard At Bald Eagle Ridge by John Balaban
The Guard At The Binh Thuy Bridge by John Balaban
In Celebration Of Spring by John Balaban
Mau Than by John Balaban
News Update by John Balaban
Opening Le Ba Khon's Dictionary by John Balaban
Story by John Balaban
Thoughts Before Dawn; For Mary Bui Thi Khuy, 1944-1969 by John Balaban
Floating Petals by Jan Barry
Green Hell, Green Death by Jan Barry
Harvest Moon by Jan Barry
In The Footsteps Of Ghengis Khan by Jan Barry
Lessons by Jan Barry
Nights In Nha Trang by Jan Barry
A Nun In Ninh Hoa by Jan Barry
The Insert by R. L. Barth
Letter Fron An Hoc (4), By A Seedbed by R. L. Barth
P.o.w.s by R. L. Barth
Postscript by R. L. Barth
May 1970 by Stephen Berg
If I'm Zapped - Bury Me by David Chapman Berry
The Perfume On The Oriental %morning by David Chapman Berry
Sgt. Sam Sublime Never Died by David Chapman Berry
The Sun Goes %down by David Chapman Berry
They Say Spring Came by David Chapman Berry
6. by Robert Bly
At A March Against The Vietnam War by Robert Bly
Counting Small-boned Bodies by Robert Bly
Free Fire Zone by Igor Bobrowsky
The Journey by Igor Bobrowsky
Coming Home by D. F. Brown
Eating The Forest by D. F. Brown
First Person - 1981 by D. F. Brown
I Was Dancing Alone In Binh Dinh Province by D. F. Brown
Illumination by D. F. Brown
Patrols by D. F. Brown
Returning Fire; For Bruce Weigl And Ngo Vinh Long by D. F. Brown
Still Later There Are War Stories by D. F. Brown
When I Am 19 I Was A Medic by D. F. Brown
After The Vietnam War by Steven Ford Brown
Again by Thomas Brush
Waiting For The End Of The War by Thomas Brush
Lies by Christopher Bursk
Listen by Marylin Butler
Starting 1973: What To Do Now That Peace Has Been Announced by Joseph Cady
On Being Asked To Write A Poem Against The War In Vietnam by Hayden Carruth
Vietnam Dream by Ron Carter
Negotiations by Ray Catina
Philosophy by Ray Catina
A Black Soldier Remembers by Horace Coleman
A Downed Black Pilot Learns How To Fly by Horace Coleman
In Ca Mau by Horace Coleman
Night Flare Drop, Ten Son Nhut by Horace Coleman
Ok Corral East - Brothers In The Nam by Horace Coleman
Remembrance Of Things Past by Horace Coleman
An Accident by Frank A., Jr. Cross
The Fifty Gunner by Frank A., Jr. Cross
Gliding Baskets by Frank A., Jr. Cross
Rice Will Grow Again by Frank A., Jr. Cross
When Chicken Man Came Home To Roost by Frank A., Jr. Cross
At The Vietnam War Memorial, Washington, D.c. by Robert Patrick Dana
Fire Support Burk by Steve Denning
Kim-san by Steve Denning
The Movie by Steve Denning
Night On The Kho Nha Dinh by Steve Denning
This Time by Steve Denning
The Blizzard Of Sixty-six by William Daniel Ehrhart
A Confirmation; For Gerry Gaffney by William Daniel Ehrhart
Farmer Nguyen by William Daniel Ehrhart
Guerrilla War by William Daniel Ehrhart
Hunting by William Daniel Ehrhart
The Invasion Of Grenada by William Daniel Ehrhart
Letter; To A North Vietnamese Soldier by William Daniel Ehrhart
'the Light That Cannot Fade'; For Carolyn Sue Brenner by William Daniel Ehrhart
Making The Children Behave by William Daniel Ehrhart
Night Patrol by William Daniel Ehrhart
The One That Died by William Daniel Ehrhart
A Relative Thing by William Daniel Ehrhart
Time On Target by William Daniel Ehrhart
To Those Who Have Gone Home by William Daniel Ehrhart
Death March by Charles Fishman
Captain James Leson, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Corporal Charles Chungtu, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Corporal Kevin Spina, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Lance Corporal Purdue Grace, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Private First Class Brooks Morgenstein, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Private Ian Godwin, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Private Jack Smith, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
Sergeant Brandon Just, U.s.m.c. by Bryan Alec Floyd
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 10 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 11 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 12 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 13 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 14 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 2 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 4 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 5 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 6 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 7 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 8 by David Hall
The Ambush Of The Fourth Platoon: 9 by David Hall
Disgrace by David Hall
Bedtime Story by Gustav Hasford
And What Would You Do, Ma by Steve Hassett
Armed Forces Day by Steve Hassett
Christmas by Steve Hassett
Mother's Day by Steve Hassett
Patriot's Day by Steve Hassett
Thanksgiving by Steve Hassett
Battle News by Samuel Hazo
Scattering Flowers by George Parks Hitchcock
A Special Train by Daniel Gerard Hoffman
Anorexia by Peter Hollenbeck
The Land by John F. Howe
Liberty & Ten Years Of Return by Christopher Howell
Memories Of Mes Duty And The War by Christopher Howell
A Reminder To The Current President; For Lewis Cook by Christopher Howell
Bac Ha by David Huddle
Cousin by David Huddle
Nerves by David Huddle
Theory by David Huddle
Vermont (1) by David Huddle
Words by David Huddle
Honor (1969) by Allston James
After The Fall Of Saigon by Yusef Komunyakaa
Boat People by Yusef Komunyakaa
A Break From The Bush by Yusef Komunyakaa
The Dead At Quang Tri by Yusef Komunyakaa
Somewhere Near Phu Bai by Yusef Komunyakaa
Starlight Scope Myopia by Yusef Komunyakaa
Tiger Lady by Yusef Komunyakaa
Can Tho by Herbert Krohn
Farmer's Song At Can Tho by Herbert Krohn
Ferryman's Song At Binh Minh by Herbert Krohn
My Flute by Herbert Krohn
Armed Forces by Lucy Lakides
The Kind by James Laughlin
Beautiful Ladies by Mcavoy Layne
Collect Call by Mcavoy Layne
Gettin' Straight by Mcavoy Layne
Guns by Mcavoy Layne
Intersection In The Sky by Mcavoy Layne
The Mob by Mcavoy Layne
On Hats & Things by Mcavoy Layne
On The Yellow Footprints by Mcavoy Layne
Staying Alive, Sels. by Denise Levertov
The Feeding by Lou Lipsitz
For All My Brothers And Sisters by Richard Lourie
Watching The News by Paul Martin
Arrival by Gerald Mccarthy
The Fall Of Da Nang by Gerald Mccarthy
Finding My Way Back by Gerald Mccarthy
The Hooded Legion by Gerald Mccarthy
The Sound Of Guns by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 1. Med Building by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 11 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 12 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 14 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 17 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 19 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 7 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 8 by Gerald Mccarthy
War Story: 9 by Gerald Mccarthy
Caliban In Blue by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Faraway Places by Walter Robert Mcdonald
For Harper, Killed In Action by Walter Robert Mcdonald
For Kelly, Missing In Action by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Hauling Over Wolf Creek Pass In Winter by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Interview With A Guy Named Fawkes, U.s. Army by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Once You've Been To War by Walter Robert Mcdonald
The Retired Pilot To Himself by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Rocket Attack (2) by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Veteran by Walter Robert Mcdonald
War Games by Walter Robert Mcdonald
The Winter Before The War (2) by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Go Ask The Dead by Thomas Mcgrath
Reading The Names Of The Vietnam War Dead by Thomas Mcgrath
Ceremony by Richard M. Mishler
Putting An End To The War Stories by Larry Moffi
One Reason I Went To Prison by James Moore
Huy Nguyen: Brothers, Drowning Cries by David Mura
The Natives by David Mura
Noon by Perry Oldham
War Stories by Perry Oldham
Poem In Defense Of Children by Joel Oppenheimer
War Poem; Oct. 15, Moratorium Day by Simon J. Ortiz
Amnesiac by Mark Osaki
Basket Case by Basil T. Paquet
Easter '68 by Basil T. Paquet
Graves Registration by Basil T. Paquet
Group Shot by Basil T. Paquet
It Is Monsoon At Last by Basil T. Paquet
Morning - A Death by Basil T. Paquet
Mourning The Death, By Hemorrhage, Of A Child From Honai by Basil T. Paquet
Night Dust-off by Basil T. Paquet
They Do Not Go Gentle by Basil T. Paquet
V.a. Hospital; In Memory Of John Makstutis by Anthony Petrosky
Words And Thoughts by John Clark Pratt
Doper's Dream by Don Receveur
Eagle In The Land Of Oz by Don Receveur
Night Fear by Don Receveur
Search And Destroy by Dale Ritterbusch
Apo 96225 by Larry Rottmann
The Silence; Ohio, Winter 1970 by Vern Rutsala
Battle Lines by John C. Schafer
Eden After Dark by Richard Shelton
Surroundings by Joseph A. Soldati
Report From An Unappointed Committee by William Edgar Stafford
After Asia by Michael Stephens
The Carp by Michael Stephens
Black Winter by Frank Stewart
Home Front by Bill Tremblay
Mayday; For Richard M. Nixon by Bill Tremblay
Despair by Tom Wayman
Teething by Tom Wayman
A Concise History Of The Vietnam War: 1965-1968 by Ron Weber
The Ambassador by Bruce Weigl
Amnesia by Bruce Weigl
Anna Grasa by Bruce Weigl
Burning Shit At An Khe by Bruce Weigl
Girl At The Chu Lai Laundry by Bruce Weigl
Him, On The Bicycle by Bruce Weigl
Mercy by Bruce Weigl
Mines by Bruce Weigl
Monkey by Bruce Weigl
Sailing To Bien Hoa by Bruce Weigl
The Sharing by Bruce Weigl
Song For The Lost Private by Bruce Weigl
Song Of Napalm by Bruce Weigl
Surrounding Blues On The Way Down by Bruce Weigl
Temple Near Quang Tri, Not On The Map by Bruce Weigl
Tower by Deborah Woodard
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Texas Tech University Press (January 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896721884
• ISBN-13: 978-0896721883
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,657 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carrying the Darkness: The Poetry of the Vietnam War, April 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Carrying the Darkness: The Poetry of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

This collection contains an excellent variety of poetry about the Vietnam War. Some of the poems are quite touching, while others reveal harsh experiences soldiers faced, occasionally using crass expressions. As editor W.D. Ehrhart points out, authors range from war veterans to those who were draft resisters and activists, as well as "living-room observers." Some of the poets include Robert Bly, John Balaban, Yusef Komunyakaa, Walter McDonald, David Mura, Bruce Weigl, and Ehrhart himself. Helpful to readers is a glossary of terms that explains expressions common to Vietnam war vernacular. Also helpful is the autobiographical information on the authors in the back of the book which clarifies who was/was not an actual soldier in the war. As an English teacher I found this book a good source for poems I could use in the classroom.