I remember Kent State and how it changed my life.

Had a pass from G.I. training, was in Frisco with my wife.

When I saw it on t.v., I said I can’t go back.

Supposed to save our country, baby, not go on attack.

She flew east, I’d follow soon, and in the airport then,

I saw Ravi Shankar and the great Doctor Spock, Ben.

Realized these were signs of changing times and hit the road.

Slept that night at UC Berkeley, took the fork that bode.

It was June before I hit New England’s salty shores.

I was called deserter then, ranked somewhere below whores.

When I turned myself in, I was hollowed out by wrath.

Their view from a different lens was drugged sociopath.

And so I was locked in awhile with madmen and drug addicts.

Mostly I just stood and stared, didn’t cause much static.

In September, I was tossed out, next month had a son.

Yes, I remember Kent State as a soldier with no gun.