Old Love,
Hardened my Soul,
New Love
Made me feel whole,

Old Love
Made me regret,
New Love,
Made me forget,

Old love,
We reminisce,
New Love,
I remember her kiss,

Old love,
Covered the cracks,
New love,
Made our own tracks,

Old love,
I miss you too much,
New love,
Can't compete with your touch,

Old Love,
Set my world on fire,
New Love,
Just what I desired,

Old Love,
Please take me back,
New Love,
Packed all my bags,

Old fool,
Feels ashamed,
Old Fool
Only himself to blame.

Winters Soldier

A winters night, into the cold,
The Queen's servant, looking old,
Just ten years since Iraq..
Ripped cloth upon his back.

Paper sheets, and plastic bags,
Warming body holding rags ,
His bottle lacking wine..
Drinking passed the time,

Daily grind, passing by,
No one stops, wonders why..
..His lips, are a shade of blue,

Tight fist clutched to chest,
A hero soldier, came to rest,
Upon commuter street..
..look down beneath your feet...

..Yes you!

A winters soldier, died alone,
Buried deep, below the stone,
Tortured by the war..
By the scars nobody saw.

If only you had not ignored,
The dying soldier there before,
Then maybe we can save...
..The wounded and the brave.

A bunch of hyenas,
They circled around,
Weapons in hand,
Sinister and proud,

Stopped in their tracks,
Tension in the air,
A child witness,
They didn't care,

A quick escape,
No route back,
Cowardly *******,
Begin their attack,

Prone position,
Time stands still,
Screaming sisters,
A summers chill,

Running away,
From where he lies,
Blood stained jacket,
Traumatic cries,

Police arrive,
Crowds disperse,
Family gather,
Expecting the worst,

A road to recovery,
Their day in court,
Sentence given,
Tragically short,

Time heals,
Scars fade,
Memories remain,
History replayed,

A twist of fate,
On a dark day,
Found him love,
That took it away,

Moving on,
His family grew,
Childs laughter,
Pulled him through,

This family man,
Can always walk tall,
He took on his troubles,
And conquered them all.

MH The Silent Foe

--

Creeping up, a silent foe,

Breaking him down, nice and slow,

Crushing all his hopes and dreams,

Bravery fading, silent screams,

  - -

Fighting on, war and peace,

Just to get, a partial release,

A little confidence, suddenly lost,

One step forwards, the ultimate cost,

  - -

Walls built, a safe distance,

Hiding the world, from his existence,

A man in a cave, keeping away,

Building the courage, to battle today,

  - -

Invisible injury, a runaway train,

Mental illness, significant pain,

Weakness, it's how it's percieved,

Colleagues find...It hard to believe,

  - -

Lack of remorse, absent support,

Pushes him, to obvious thoughts,

Attenion seeking, he was no more,

Discovered today, by local law,

 ----

Tears shed, guilt ridden hearts,

Talking history, picking him apart,

Realisation, lack of due care,

Former colleague...

Empty chair

  ----

Trying to find the words to explain the poem. The message is there. Think about your actions to those you see every day. The ones that annoy you, for their quirky behaviour. There is an untold story behind each of us. Some suffer in silence, some try to seek help. Compassion and understanding is within us all. The unseen illness is a killer.