In the gloom of each day when it's dying
Standing to is the normal routine.
A time which I use for reflecting
On what we have done or we've seen.

It's the time, when my view blends with darkness;
And as daytime gives way to the night,
I review the way that we're working.
Are we doing this wrong or right?

Did Jim keep his distance from Stan at the creek?
Why Rod was stung by those bees.
And Frank, who found that crossing point
Despite its concealment by trees.

And the cache that we found on the high ground.
The call of a barking deer.
Searching that corpse before burying.
And asking why am I here?

Note:
Private Jim Kelly, national serviceman;
Private Eddy Stankowski, national serviceman;
Private Rod Menhennet, national serviceman;
Lance corporal Frank Chambers, national serviceman; and
Me.

I am your wife,
I do not have your courage,
I have a soul which cries,
Which is restless,
When you are sent on the Front Line,
Not knowing if you would return alive or dead.
And if you return home,
Wounded,scarred with traumatic
stress disorder,
I become not a wife nor your widow,
Just your caretaker,
My soul bleeds.
19/2/2019.

I am here now
Amidst the ashes;
Away from the world's mystification.

Do not weep for me now
Remember my sacrifices;
My love, my life for the nation.

They reckon they've won now
They laugh, they celebrate-
Sad! they do not grasp the ramification.

Mother have lost her child now
Holding a grave ache in her heart.
And me- a fallen father for my girl and son!

Will I be avenged now!
Or end up like a long lost memory
Of honor and love for my country?

Will I be avenged!
Or end up as a tool in the game of politics
Between vultures clutching on the opportunity?

Re-Living the dreaded scars,
While my friends slowly rot behind bars,
My mistakes that i have made,
I asked they be spared but God forbade,
He was carried of to Alcatraz,
While i sit here with scars on my wrist listening to jazz,
The crimes i commit,
The death i emmit,
I am sorry my dear friend for leaving you behind,
Your grave to me will always remind,
That day i looked back and saw nothing but blood,
As it flowed it looked like a flood,
Sorry for what happened but at least one of us are free,
And i promise from now on i'll be the best i can be.

when he was six, he wanted to be a soldier
and he ran around with sticks and a too-big helmet on his head
and a raging fire of courage in his heart
and his grandfather pulled him into his lap and asked what he fought for.
his chest puffed up
and his chin jutted out
and his little voice squeaked, "I fight for what is right!"
and his grandpa shook his head and shooed him off to play.

when he was ten, he still wanted to be a soldier
and he came home one day with bruises on his elbows
and too much hurt in his heart
and his father asked him what was wrong.
his chest fell
and his chin shook
and his voice quivered when he said, "I fight for what's right."
and his father gave him a hug and talked to him about it.

when he was twelve, he still wanted to be a soldier
and he tried harder than everyone else to prove he had it in his head
and the determination in his heart
and his father got him his first .22 and showed him how to shoot it.
his chest puffed up
and his chin jutted out
and his voice cracked when he said, "I fight for what's good!"
and his father shook his head and taught him more.

when he was sixteen, he still wanted to be a soldier
and he walked around with a broken hand from having too big a head
and too much anger in his heart
and his doctor asked him what he did
his chest burned
and his chin clenched
and his voice was more growl when he said, "I fight for what's right."
and his doctor shook his head and told him not to do it again.

when he was eighteen, he signed up for the army
and he pushed himself harder to prove he still had it in his head
and the motivation in his heart
and his grandfather got sick that year and called him to his bedside.
his chest ached
and his head fell
and his voice broke when he said, "I still fight for what's right."
and his grandfather's hand went limp in his.