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The Road More Traveled (poem)

By Paul Hellweg

We all had our reasons
for joining the cause,
patriotism
idealism
romanticism,
and all too frequently, duress.
But motivation no longer mattered
as the road became
pockmarked with land mines.
Most of us
were just along for the ride, and
it came as quite the surprise
when we finally figured out
we weren't the ones
in the driver's seat.

- Paul Hellweg

Paul Hellweg served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Xuan Loc in 1968. He is a member of both Veterans for Peace and Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and he is devoting his life to speaking out against war.