Time to live again

Another night of restless sleep, the blood, the sweat, the screams,
he's so afraid to close his eyes, because he knows he's going to dream.

He's tired of all the nightmares, the pain he wishes he could just forget,
it's been thirty years of torture, the memories haven't faded yet.

Maybe it's guilt for what they did there, maybe it's all the shame,
or could it be the loss?, that causes all his pain.

He shipped over with the first platoon, now there's a half a dozen left,
a lot died there, some died here, and agent orange has claimed the rest.

So today he made a promise, today the tears will end,
it's a bitter pill to swallow, but it's time to live again.

It's time to face reality, as he slowly rolls down the aisle,
he's come to ask for forgiveness and to try to find his smile.

With tear stained cheeks he reaches out, to the name of his best friend,
you see it's carved in granite, third row from the end.

All his friends are there, their names all carved in stone,
"a medal of honor", doesn't mean a thing, when you're back in the world alone.

He still can't find the answers, he still feels they were all betrayed,
in a war that's been forgotten, but the heartache never went away.