I think this is definitely a sad homage to a soldier's innocence vs.experience in the Vietnam war.
He came down through fields of green
On the summer side of life
His love was ripe
---the "field" is a battlefield
--"green" is a word used to describe someone who lacks experience
--"summer" represents youth
-- the "love" that was "ripe" the patriotism and loyalty toward his country and his eagerness to contribute in an important way; the "love" could be toward the enemy whom the U.S. had hoped to win the hearts and minds of
There was no illusions
--the soldier felt the war was noble and righteous perhaps
There was young girls everywhere
On the summer side of life
They talked all night
--"young girls" who are equally inexperienced who wait at home
--"talk" about the sadness and pride of his endeavor and plans for the future
He came down through fields of green
On the summer side of life
He prayed all night
--once faced with the realities and brutality of war, the young man just "prays" to finish his tour of duty with his life
Then he walked into a house
Where love had been misplaced
His chance to waste
--the "house" could be a village hut occupied by Viet Cong--or even civilians--or the dwelling place of the enemy who hates "love...misplaced" the soldier
--to "waste" is to kill, perhaps for his own survival, perhaps for revenge, perhaps because the mission (seek and destroy) calls for it (he cleaned "house")
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why he would cry
The whole day long
--he cries "the whole day long" not literally but the experience has definitely changed him; perhaps he mourns for his innocence lost from taking human life, perhaps he participated in a massacre, perhaps he mourns for the 52,000 + soldiers who died in Vietnam, perhaps feels betrayed by some of our nations elders who created the "illusion" that the war was noble and necessary. The crying could be PTSD he suffers from since his return home because of the horrors experienced in war.
And if you saw him now
You'd wonder why
--no one really understands him, they "wonder why" he cries
@lovespoetry -Then he walked into a house
Where love had been misplaced
His chance to waste. love being misplaced?..is about love taken for granted..perhaps the young lady loved him, tho he didn't love back out of ignorance..his chance to waste?..came home to find that perhaps the young lady was in love with someone else..realized too late "love was wasted" in theory the young man goes off to fight this war a young man full of zeal..endures war..with hopes that the one who loved him the nigh the left, would be there waiting for his return..an experienced young man would react this way-...
@lovespoetry -Then he walked into a house
Where love had been misplaced
His chance to waste. love being misplaced?..is about love taken for granted..perhaps the young lady loved him, tho he didn't love back out of ignorance..his chance to waste?..came home to find that perhaps the young lady was in love with someone else..realized too late "love was wasted" in theory the young man goes off to fight this war a young man full of zeal..endures war..with hopes that the one who loved him the nigh the left, would be there waiting for his return..an experienced young man would react this way- the war grew him up quick, as a hero type returns home and finds out..the summer side of life..was just a childish elusion. thus everyone wonders why he cries.
I think this is definitely a sad homage to a soldier's innocence vs.experience in the Vietnam war.
He came down through fields of green On the summer side of life His love was ripe
---the "field" is a battlefield --"green" is a word used to describe someone who lacks experience --"summer" represents youth -- the "love" that was "ripe" the patriotism and loyalty toward his country and his eagerness to contribute in an important way; the "love" could be toward the enemy whom the U.S. had hoped to win the hearts and minds of
There was no illusions --the soldier felt the war was noble and righteous perhaps
There was young girls everywhere On the summer side of life They talked all night
--"young girls" who are equally inexperienced who wait at home --"talk" about the sadness and pride of his endeavor and plans for the future
He came down through fields of green On the summer side of life He prayed all night
--once faced with the realities and brutality of war, the young man just "prays" to finish his tour of duty with his life
Then he walked into a house Where love had been misplaced His chance to waste
--the "house" could be a village hut occupied by Viet Cong--or even civilians--or the dwelling place of the enemy who hates "love...misplaced" the soldier --to "waste" is to kill, perhaps for his own survival, perhaps for revenge, perhaps because the mission (seek and destroy) calls for it (he cleaned "house")
And if you saw him now You'd wonder why he would cry The whole day long
--he cries "the whole day long" not literally but the experience has definitely changed him; perhaps he mourns for his innocence lost from taking human life, perhaps he participated in a massacre, perhaps he mourns for the 52,000 + soldiers who died in Vietnam, perhaps feels betrayed by some of our nations elders who created the "illusion" that the war was noble and necessary. The crying could be PTSD he suffers from since his return home because of the horrors experienced in war.
And if you saw him now You'd wonder why
--no one really understands him, they "wonder why" he cries
That is an excellent interpretation, I think its spot on. Thanks
That is an excellent interpretation, I think its spot on. Thanks
@lovespoetry A beautiful interpretation. Couldn't have said it better.
@lovespoetry A beautiful interpretation. Couldn't have said it better.
@lovespoetry -Then he walked into a house Where love had been misplaced His chance to waste. love being misplaced?..is about love taken for granted..perhaps the young lady loved him, tho he didn't love back out of ignorance..his chance to waste?..came home to find that perhaps the young lady was in love with someone else..realized too late "love was wasted" in theory the young man goes off to fight this war a young man full of zeal..endures war..with hopes that the one who loved him the nigh the left, would be there waiting for his return..an experienced young man would react this way-...
@lovespoetry -Then he walked into a house Where love had been misplaced His chance to waste. love being misplaced?..is about love taken for granted..perhaps the young lady loved him, tho he didn't love back out of ignorance..his chance to waste?..came home to find that perhaps the young lady was in love with someone else..realized too late "love was wasted" in theory the young man goes off to fight this war a young man full of zeal..endures war..with hopes that the one who loved him the nigh the left, would be there waiting for his return..an experienced young man would react this way- the war grew him up quick, as a hero type returns home and finds out..the summer side of life..was just a childish elusion. thus everyone wonders why he cries.