Prisoner Of War Songtext

Well he's staring at a bunch of papers wondering which ones to sign
Some say he can have the money if the others say he's lost his mind
He could really use the money cause he can't work anymore
His mind's too bent and his back's too broke. Blames it all it's on the war
He's having a beer and a cigarette It's not even twelve o' clock
When I walk in , give him a hug, we sit down to have a talk
He says you're looking more like your daddy son, each and every day
C'mon in and have a seat I've got some news that's come my way
Post traumatic stress disorder that's what the VA says I've got
I guess all them memories finally stacked up from a war that everyone else forgot
And I've got this sickness down in my lungs son and my blood's running thin
Boy I think you're looking at the ghost of a Vietnam veteran

I've seen some good men go down and they say I'm the lucky one because I got to come back to town
But it's been near forty years and I can't close the door
Just walking around in my own damn house as a Prisoner Of War

Yeah it's near forty years later, there's another war in progress
There's another soldier with his own traumatic stress
He's driving a tank through the sand, watching the destruction on a screen
He says it's all more like a video game with the brand new technology
And he calls me on the phone sometimes just to let me know that he's still alive
He wants to know if he makes it back home, if I could help him find a job. He
says you know man I feel like I've aged twenty some odd years
But you know it's only been seven short months since I had to come back over here
Cause they work us hard every day and night .I'm finding out it takes a whole lot of work to cover up stuff that just ain't right
He says I'm sorry I woke you up brother it's just that sometimes I can't sleep
If you think what they show on TV's bad... you ought to see my dreams

Cause I've seen some good men go down like Birch and Chavez from the first tank battalion
You know it's a crying shame and there will never be a settled score
Cause no matter whether we live or we die... we'll always be... Prisoners Of War