#veteransvoices
In the stillness of dawn, a soldier dreams,
Of a home left behind, or was it just a gleam?
Hiraeth grips the heart, a silent yearning stream,
For a place he cannot reach, but knows by heart's theme.
Memories flicker like stars in the night,
Of laughter and warmth, of love shining bright.
Yet the battlefield's echoes drown out the sight,
A soldier's dream of home, in the midst of the fight.
Hiraeth whispers in the rustling leaves,
A home unrealised, a heart that grieves.
Through the chaos and noise, a soul believes,
In the dream of returning, a soldier achieves.
May 26
May 26, 2026 at 7:02 AM UTC
(A fresh poem echoing the weary humour and fatalism of old gunner ballads) “The Gunner’s Road” — after the traditional Gunner’s Lament. By LongJohn, in honour of the traditional Royal Artillery song.
The road was long before us,
and longer still behind,
with the guns trundling steady
like they had a mind of their own.
We cursed the mud,
laughed at the rain,
and shared what little warmth
a battered flask could offer.
But when the order came,
we stood to —
no grumbling then,
just the quiet pride
of men who knew their craft.
And though the world forgets
the ones who walked that endless road,
we remember each other.
That’s enough.
Feb 9
Feb 9, 2026 at 6:02 AM UTC
“What We Carry in Silence”
***
There are things we talk about —
the weather,
our kit,
the food,
the daft things that happened
out on exercise.
And then there are the things
we don’t.
The fear.
The doubt.
The moments that shook us.
The faces we still see
when the room goes quiet.
We don’t say them out loud
because we don’t need to.
The lads already know.
A nod,
a look,
a hand on the shoulder —
that’s enough.
Words are for civvies.
We deal in silence,
shared understanding,
and the unspoken truth
that we’d go through it all again
for each other.
The only words that matter are—
For each other.
Apr 30
Apr 30, 2026 at 3:52 AM UTC
“The Compass That Led Me Home”
Men go to war
for all sorts of reasons —
duty, pride,
orders,
habit.
But they come home
for one.
Her.
Him.
Family.
The thought of their laugh,
their voice,
their hand in mine —
that was the compass
that pointed me back
every time.
When the nights were long
and the cold cut deep,
I’d picture them waiting,
lights on,
kettle ready,
like the world hadn’t changed
while I was away.
And maybe it hadn’t.
Maybe they kept it steady
so I’d have something
worth returning to.
That’s why I came back.
Every time.
Every mile.
Every ****** step.
To stand silently,
smiling in my home.
Apr 29
Apr 29, 2026 at 3:13 AM UTC
(A respectful, solemn echo of Milligan’s grief and witness)
“The Battery at Dawn” — after Spike Milligan’s The Soldiers at Lauro. By LongJohn, in honour of Spike Milligan
The morning came slow,
as if it already knew
what names would not be spoken again.
Smoke drifted where the lads had stood,
and the guns — usually loud,
full of swagger —
seemed ashamed of their silence.
I walked the line alone,
boots crunching through the memory
of men who’d laughed with me
only yesterday.
There’s no poetry in loss,
only the duty of remembering —
and I carry them still,
each one a steady weight
that keeps my heart from drifting.
Feb 9
Feb 9, 2026 at 5:58 AM UTC
(Pink Floyd — not RA, but widely adopted by veterans) A respectful, non copyright homage to the theme of longing and imagined peace “A Gunner’s Wish” — after The Gunner’s Dream. By LongJohn, in honour of the themes carried by Roger Waters
If only the guns would fall silent
for one clear morning,
and the world breathe out
without fear of the next barrage.
If only the lads could sleep
without the old echoes
walking the corridors of their minds.
I’ve wished for that peace
more times than I can count—
not for myself,
but for the young ones
who never learned how to grow old.
A gunner’s wish is simple—
that the world might one day
stop needing men like us.
Feb 9
Feb 9, 2026 at 6:12 AM UTC
✈️☁️🇬🇧🌤️
RAF wings climb through storm and dome,
Carrying hope and thoughts of home.
Across the clouds their engines sing,
Guarding peace on silent wing.
Though distant skies may call them far,
Home still shines their guiding star.
🌤️🛩️💙✈️
May 11
May 11, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC
⚓🌊🇬🇧⛴️
The Royal Navy sails the tide,
With sacrifice and ancient pride.
Through storm-lit nights and rolling sea,
Their watch endures for liberty.
Beneath white ensigns bold and true,
Old honour sails in every crew.
⛴️🌅⚓🌊
May 11
May 11, 2026 at 12:59 PM UTC
⚔️🌤️🚶♂️✨
True courage walks where few have been,
Quiet, steady, calm, unseen.
Through shadowed paths and falling rain,
It bears the loss, endures the pain.
No trumpet sounds, no crowds applaud,
Yet strength still walks the hardest road.
✨🚶♂️🌿⚔️
May 11
May 11, 2026 at 12:57 PM UTC