We Don't Know

Every Sunday found them fishing
Jimmy, Dad and Uncle Jack
Spent their summers on Duck River
On a bass boat kicking back

Till our mother met them crying
With a letter from Uncle Sam
My dad looked right at Jimmy
Your country needs a helping hand.

So he stepped up and he served proudly
Bravely answering the call
His tour was almost over
He’d have come home early fall

They found his plane in the Mekong Delta
The Viet Kong had shot it down.
We don’t know if they still have him
Cause that’s all we’ve ever found.

We don’t know if he will ever be returned to those he loves
We don’t know if he’s already home with the good Lord up above
All we can do, is keep praying and holding on to hope
That someway, someday, someone will say, something more
Than we don’t know

My dad and Jack, they don’t fish much.
It has never been the same
The river doesn’t bring the joy
The river sometimes brings them pain
We can’t stop thinking about him
We don’t know if he’s okay
Though the years have dimmed the flame of hope
It’s still flickering today.

We want to know
If he will ever be returned to those he loved
We want to know
If he’s already home with the good lord up above
All we can do, is keep praying and holding on to hope
That someway, someday, someone will say, something more.
Than we don’t know

Cause we want to know

© 2004 Amy Jo Ellis, Frank Pangborn