Etched in his mind,
The internal war,
Haemorrhaging blood,
Hidden once more,

Slowly he’s dying,
His body too weak,
Paralysed lips,
Unable to speak,

Traumatic life,
Slipping away,
His heavy soul,
Aching today.

He witnessed it all,
The burden unseen,
Screaming their names,
Tortured in dream,

His cries settle,
His memory fades,
Wiping the tears,
For former comrades.

(Repeat)

He sat by the fire and raised a glass
Mumbling words from his secret past
I watched him wipe some tears away
As he recalled their final days

As a curious child, I wondered why
My heroic father would sit and cry
Or scream out, from his soaked bed
Pleading to stop the noise in his head

We would hide away, each bonfire night,
In fear of the noise, the smoke and the light
He thought our home was under attack
Lost in the daze of a random flashback

As he grew old I understood why
This brave soldier would sit and cry
He lost his family not bound by blood
Witnessed things that no human should

Mental scars burned deep in his mind
From the devastation, he left behind
He was a prisoner of war every day
Locked in a memory…
...his mind would replay

I watch the waves
Crashing down below
I see the lighthouse
Lighting up the snow

I watch the sunset
Slipping out of sight
I see all the ships, make
Portraits in the night

I watch the stars intently
As colour fills my eyes
Tears of amazement
In wonder of the skies

I leave the embers glowing
I let my feet lead the way
Following the imprints
Along the rustic quay

I rest upon the harbour
I see your face appear
My is heart beating, racing
As we meet along the pier

The door that rests
But fails to close
Holds open the fears
He cannot dispose

He tries to force it
And leave them behind
Yet the images leak
And poison his mind

His vision fails
In weeping eyes
His heart beating
Drowning all noise

Laboured and forced
Soaking of skin
The doors wide open
As trauma rushed in

Drowning on surface
Lungs contract
Invisible illness
Panic Attack

Accelerated trauma
Starts my videotape
I replay it ten times over
Until my body breaks

The voices in the distance
Lost by a wall of sound
Distorted scenes crush me
Falling to the ground

Screaming out in fear
A fight before my eyes
Lashing out around me
Leads to my demise

Rapid breathing dissipates
Calmness fills the air
Tears break the silence
Fills me with despair

The dark storm receding
Carnage everywhere
Scattered lives around me
Damaged beyond repair