February,1968 Poem by Kyle Schlicher

Today I asked 4 Marines what day of the week it is.
No one knew.
No one has a real calendar.
The only calendars hanging up
Are what we call Short Timers Calendars.
It is a calendar in the shape of the female body
Divided into parts numbered 1 through 100.
Once a Marine hits 100 days to go
He gets of these calendars
And begins coloring in the appropriate day
Beginning with the number 100.
Numbers 3,2 and 1 are the favorite parts
On the calendar for a Marine or any man for that matter.
When a Marine colors in number 1 he kisses it
Because his tour is over and he is leaving Vietnam.
Finally, someone said Armed Forces Radio said it was Thursday.
Thursday, February 29,1968.
Just my luck to arrive over here in a leap year.
I'm so lucky it just might get me killed.

(2-29-1968)