Larry Winters reads "The Hymn" | Writers Read

"From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli..." Set in 1967 at the Marine boot camp, author Larry Winters delivers a raw, visceral, and unsparing account of military conditioning and personal survival. When a split-second error on a grueling rifle range draws the wrath of his volatile drill instructor, a brutal punishment forces a young recruit to the absolute brink of physical agony and murderous rage. What follows is a harrowing, ironic lesson in discipline, shared trauma, and what it truly means to watch the hair on your neck stand up when the platoon joins in to sing the Marine Corps Hymn. "The Hymn" was recorded live at a Writers Read storytelling event "The Sound of Music.". ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Larry Winters is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War and a writer whose work explores the deep psychological landscapes of war, memory, and resilience. ABOUT WRITERS READ: Writers Read is a literary arts organization dedicated to the art of the spoken word. We bring voice to curated, true, five-minute personal essays that explore the diverse complexities of the human experience. 📌 Subscribe to our channel for more powerful live storytelling performances: [Insert Subscription Link] 👉 Follow us on Instagram: @WritersReadOrg 🌐 Visit our website to learn about upcoming live events, submission guidelines, and how to support our nonprofit mission: [Insert Website Link] #LiveStorytelling #PersonalEssay #MarineCorps #SpokenWord #WritersRead #VietnamVet #mémoire (Recorded 4/24/2016 at The Cel Theater, NYC • 193 views when re-published on 6/16/2026)