#falklandswar - Hello Poetry

“15000 Miles Between Heartbeats” *** You missed my ship— I shout into the distance, half anger, half ache. I’m already on my way, and you don’t even know it. The horn fades into a thinning shore, and I carry myself fifteen hundred miles toward something I cannot yet name. Tomorrow— war. Battles waiting just beyond sleep. Silence stretches wide, too wide for men meant to fill it. My thoughts drift— home, where hearts sit warm and untouched. But here we stand, shoulder to shoulder, steady… or pretending to be. Night breaks open— fire in the sky, thunder tearing through bone. Fear climbs quietly, finding every gap we try to seal. Bravery— a mask we wear well. Because the truth? The horror is loud, sharp, unforgettable. Then morning comes— as if nothing happened. The storm loosens its grip, and the sea remembers how to breathe again. Laughter returns, fragile at first, like it’s asking permission. Still— fifteen thousand miles from home, and somehow love reaches us. I sail back— toward familiar shores, toward names I know. But something stays behind. Grief travels with me, quiet, unpacked. Too many do not return. Their journey ends where ours continues. And maybe— that is their peace. Rows of coffins. Flags draped low. A bugle cries soft enough to break you. And the questions— they don’t leave. What did they give? What did they lose? And who decides what it was worth? I still ask that question— Old photos in my hands, faces that never made it home. And still… I ask—why?

0

Apr 24

Apr 24, 2026 at 5:09 AM UTC

ThePoppiesStillBloom

Away From Home

“15000 Miles Between Heartbeats” *** You missed my ship— I shout into the distance, half anger, half ache. I’m already on my way, and you don’t even know it. The horn fades into a thinning shore, and I carry myself fifteen hundred miles toward something I cannot yet name. Tomorrow— war. Battles waiting just beyond sleep. Silence stretches wide, too wide for men meant to fill it. My thoughts drift— home, where hearts sit warm and untouched. But here we stand, shoulder to shoulder, steady… or pretending to be. Night breaks open— fire in the sky, thunder tearing through bone. Fear climbs quietly, finding every gap we try to seal. Bravery— a mask we wear well. Because the truth? The horror is loud, sharp, unforgettable. Then morning comes— as if nothing happened. The storm loosens its grip, and the sea remembers how to breathe again. Laughter returns, fragile at first, like it’s asking permission. Still— fifteen thousand miles from home, and somehow love reaches us. I sail back— toward familiar shores, toward names I know. But something stays behind. Grief travels with me, quiet, unpacked. Too many do not return. Their journey ends where ours continues. And maybe— that is their peace. Rows of coffins. Flags draped low. A bugle cries soft enough to break you. And the questions— they don’t leave. What did they give? What did they lose? And who decides what it was worth? I still ask that question— Old photos in my hands, faces that never made it home. And still… I ask—why?

81

*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

0

Mar 5

Mar 5, 2026 at 3:39 PM UTC

ThePoppiesStillBloom

Away From Home

*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

74

*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

0

Mar 5

Mar 5, 2026 at 3:44 PM UTC

LongJohnPaulBaldry

Away From Home

*** You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

74

You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

0

Mar 5

Mar 5, 2026 at 4:22 AM UTC

ThePoppiesStillBloom

Away From Home

You missed my ship— I shouted it into the wind. Too late now. The horn sounded from a distant harbour, and the sea took us with it. Fifteen hundred miles between me and home. Tomorrow there will be war. For now, only silence— a wide ocean holding its breath. And my thoughts drift back to where my heart lives. Then the night erupts. Fire in the dark. Thunder in the sky. Fear rising like cold water. We stand our ground. Bravery is often just fear wearing a uniform. The noise— unbearable. The horror— closer than words allow. And then morning. The guns fall quiet. The sea pretends nothing happened. Someone laughs. Someone else lights a cigarette. Fifteen hundred miles from home— yet love still finds us. One day I sail back. Home again. Family waiting. Familiar streets. But something stays behind. Because not everyone comes home. Rows of coffins. Flags folded carefully. A bugle breaking the silence. Soft. Slow. Tears fall without permission. And the question still drifts through the wind— What was given? What was gained? By Paul Baldry (LongJohn)

73