Unaccustomed Mercy: Soldier-Poets of the Vietnam War [Hardcover]

W. D. Ehrhart (Editor), John C. Pratt (Preface)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0896721892 | ISBN-13: 978-0896721890 | Publication Date: January 15, 1989

Every poet in this anthology represents the terrible beauty that Vietnam engendered in sensitive hearts, the curious grace with which the human spirit can endow even the ugliest realities. "No one will get out of this volume without being hammered in the heart and singed in the soul. I could touch the tears on page after page."—Wallace Terry

Editorial Reviews

Review

After Our War by John Balaban
Along The Mekong by John Balaban
April 30, 1975; For Bui Ngoc Huong by John Balaban
The Dragonfish by John Balaban
For Mrs. Cam, Whose Name Means 'printed Silk' 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
Mr. Giai's Poem 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
Words For My Daughter 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
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
Vietnamization by D. F. Brown
When I Am 19 I Was A Medic by D. F. Brown
A Bummer by Michael Casey
For The Old Man by Michael Casey
Hoa Binh by Michael Casey
The Lz Gator Body Collector by Michael Casey
Road Hazard by Michael Casey
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
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
Letter; To A North Vietnamese Soldier by William Daniel Ehrhart
Making The Children Behave by William Daniel Ehrhart
The Next Step by William Daniel Ehrhart
Night Patrol by William Daniel Ehrhart
A Relative Thing by William Daniel Ehrhart
To Those Who Have Gone Home by William Daniel Ehrhart
Twice Betrayed by William Daniel Ehrhart
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
After The Fall by Yusef Komunyakaa
Boat People by Yusef Komunyakaa
A Break From The Bush by Yusef Komunyakaa
The Dead At Quang Tri by Yusef Komunyakaa
Prisoners by Yusef Komunyakaa
Somewhere Near Phu Bai by Yusef Komunyakaa
Starlight Scope Myopia by Yusef Komunyakaa
Thanks by Yusef Komunyakaa
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
After The Noise Of Saigon by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Caliban In Blue by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Christmas Bells, Saigon by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Faraway Places by Walter Robert Mcdonald
The Food Pickers Of Saigon by Walter Robert Mcdonald
For Friends Missing In Action by Walter Robert Mcdonald
For Harper, Killed In Action by Walter Robert Mcdonald
For Kelly, Missing In Action by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Interview With A Guy Named Fawkes, U.s. Army by Walter Robert Mcdonald
New Guy 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
War Games by Walter Robert Mcdonald
The Winter Before The War (2) by Walter Robert Mcdonald
Basket Case by Basil T. Paquet
Easter '68 by Basil T. Paquet
Graves Registration by Basil T. Paquet
Group Shot by Basil T. Paquet
In A Plantation 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
Amnesia 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
Mines by Bruce Weigl
Monkey by Bruce Weigl
On The Anniversary Of Her Grace 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
What Saves Us by Bruce Weigl
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder® --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Texas Tech University Press (January 15, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896721892
• ISBN-13: 978-0896721890
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,739,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We know only because the soldiers know, December 1, 2005

By 

Richard B. Downing (hudson, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unaccustomed Mercy: Soldier-Poets of the Vietnam War (Hardcover)

I know poetry. I teach the stuff. I don't know war. Firsthand, that is. But I suspect I've come as close as I'll get by reading Unaccustomed Mercy.

I very much enjoy poetry, but I don't like - really like - many poems. So much poetry is solopsistic slop and slobbering encased in fine technique. This book is different. This book is real. Ehrhart offers us slice after slice of war, of being right in the middle of it, of it being right in the middle of you, physically, emotionally, and years after it was supposedly over. Ehrhart's editting is masterful. He's earned the right to choose who goes in the book, and he's chosen well.

Some critics have said that what these works lack in poetic technique they make up for in gut-searing impact. Half right. The necessary technique is there. Whether studied or intuitive, form fits content in poem after poem.

I have a PhD in literature. I write and publish this stuff. Well, not this stuff. I've not lived this stuff, thank God. Every poet in this book has though. And they've let me get close.

We all know the war was bullsh*t. Still, readers will thank the poets for their poems and their service.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Compilation of Vietnam Poetry, April 4, 2004

By 

S. Annand (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unaccustomed Mercy: Soldier-Poets of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

War poetry, as oppossed to poetry written by veterans, is certainly not new. The "Iliad" comes to mind. Most English literature classes also throw in poetry from World War I, which produced the likes of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Not since Vietnam has American Literature produced such fine poets. Thanks to the best-known Vietnam War poet Will Ehrhart, ofter described as the "Poet Laureate of the Vietnam War," we have a number of such poets being published.

Ehrhart (Marine) is known for early work such as "A Relative Thing," an angry statement reminding America that we returned veterans did "your" work ("accomplices in this travesty of dreams") and that "we are your sons, America, and you cannot change that." In "Letter," we see hope on the horizon.

Bruce Weigl (Army) is my second favorite poet. It is from his "Monkey" that the title of this collection comes from. "Burning **** at An Khe" speaks to us Vietnam veterans on more than one level. "Song for the Lost Private," about the death of a friend, and "Anna Grasa," about his reaction to a family "welcome home" truly capture some of our inner feelings.

Walter McDonald (Air Force) can write some varied poetry, from people to places. "For Kelly, Missing In Action," and "For Harper, Killed In Action," are about obvious topics. Likewise, "After the Noise of Saigon," and "For Friends Missing in Action" should be read in tandem. His "Interview with a Guy Named Fawkes, U.S. Army" is simply too witty for description.

Bryan Alec Floyd (Marine) writes one of the most poignant poems in this book. All his poems in this collection are named after individuals. His "Private First Class Brooks Morgenstein, U.S.M.C." is the one poem all should read. Brooks has a wife at home, and this is the sole reason for his being and his survival. "He only knew as he held his rifle/during a sweeping operation/that next year he would hold her/and when he kissed her/his tongue would touch hers/and she would feel/as though a piece of the sun/was in her mouth."

I know I am leaving out all the other fine poets represented in this book, not least Jan Barry, a close frind of Ehrhart's. We all owe our gratitude not just to the poets of the Vietnam War, but most certainly to Will Ehrhart for ceaselessly working to bring us this exceptionally beautifull form of expression.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Compilation of Vietnam Poetry, April 4, 2004

By 

S. Annand (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unaccustomed Mercy: Soldier-Poets of the Vietnam War (Paperback)

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