ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

New Generation Veterans

We honour our old veterans, we honour them with pride
and read of all the horrors they have carried deep inside.
We know they served in Asia or New Guinea’s highland rains,
Vietnam or in Africa where many men were slain.

We know that fateful landing on Gallipoli’s dark shore,
wherever Aussies fought, we know there are so many more,
but now a new young generation needs our help as well,
they too have been to war and suffer with their private hell.

Though losses are not classed as great, their fears are just the same
those electronic hidden bombs, still injure, kill or maim.
They fight against an enemy they find so hard to see
who mingle in the market place, then cause much tragedy.

Insurgents in Afghanistan hide in the rough terrain
or roaming in Iraq, where, wearing robes they look the same.
These suicide stealth bombers, don’t care who they hurt or kill,
then, with their own beliefs, they try to break our forces will.

Our fighting Aussie spirit shows on any foreign land,
they’re in the skies, they’re on the sea, or on the desert sand.
Now many are returning with the horrors they still see
and living with their nightmares, suffering bureaucracy.

I know on ANZAC day, we all remember with a tear,
but all vets young or old, they need our help throughout the year,
support and listen to their stories, when they do get told,
lets honour our new veterans, just like we do our old.



David J Delaney
10/02/2010 ©

I was contacted by the editor of a quarterly newsletter for Honouring Indigenous War Graves Inc. in Perth, for permission to publish this poem, whoooHooo!!, I also sent them 'Capt. Reg Saunders' & another poem tributed to the stolen generation.

Great sentiments, great poem Dave.

Heather

Dave there it is the truth, most of us understand that these boys are at war not on holiday, If only the
“Government” could understand that they are playing with real live men who sacrifice themselves for the downtrodden and not just some political toy to be used and discarded.
Oh dear I better go take a blood pressure tablet.

Good job Dave.

TTFN Dave Smith.

Thank you Heather & thanks with the photo eh!

Dave, mate I do know how you feel eh!

No worries Dave. At least we can see which one is you now eh? (See I talk like a Queenslander now!!)

Heather

Urhummmm!!..I don't think it was that hard to see, I have 'bumps' in the wrong places, not the right places.

G/day Dave,
A great poem mate and it touches on some truths as well.
As for the government it wouldn't matter which mob were in, it would be the same story, we're simply supporting the Americans as we would expect them to support us if we needed them. I guess The Wikileaks have made a bit of a nonsense of the whole thing, not that I think many people weren't aware of what's happening.

Cheers Terry

Thank you Terry, I agree mate, I only said to a friend the other day, the only thing Julian is guilty of is passing on stolen information, he is 'an accesory after the fact' & if he is charged for that, then, almost every media reporter & or editor & some polies would have to be charged as well, as far as I'm concerned he is only showing just how devious & deceitful our governments are.

I couldn't agree more David,
It's hard not to be cynical about all things concerning governments isn't it, so much spin and so many out and out lies.
Still what else would you expect I suppose.

Cheers Mate

Terry