Johnny's Song

by Steve Mason

This tape, performed by the author, captures what all veterans have seen and felt and dreamed. A Vietnam veteran himself, Steve Mason reads a selection of his poems that no American, no veteran's family should miss hearing.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published April 1, 1986

Reviews

[East To · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great friend of mine mailed this book to me, and I'm so glad he did. Its heart-breaking, lonely, profound, and real.

[behsforensics]

Cutting is for Date of Estimated Return
from Overseas (DEROS) for
My Soul
By Steve Mason

Another cutting is for The Last Patrol
By Steve Mason

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume of poetry tackles all kinds of issues surrounding not just war in general, but issues specific to the Vietnam War. Readers are given an intimate and sometimes painfully honest look into PTSD, survivor's guilt, the American dream, death, legacy, and the American glorification of war, especially of those who die in war. The poems are occasionally hard to read, not because they aren't good but rather because the raw emotion is strong that it leaps off the page and into your heart.

If you like poetry, I recommend. If you don't like the military, then this probably isn't the book for you.

[Mills College Library]

811.54 M412j 1986

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really into poetry. It definitely made me think and feel but I just don't really understand some of his metaphors at all.