Desert Interlude - warning political incorrectness
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 5:35 pm
No offence is intended by the politically incorrect phrase contained in this piece It is the terminology that is used.
DESERT INTERLUDE
Did you ever believe when we were just kids
that we would be soldiers one day?
Did you ever think that you’d actually kill
someone dead and then just walk away?
Did you ever imagine that you’d leave Australia
and walk miles on a foreign shore?
No neither did I, but we have. Here we are.
So how come you won’t talk anymore?
I’m just a bit scared John – are you scared as well?
Guess there's no cause to be feeling ashamed.
It’s the noise and the bright light of flares in the night –
like the whole bloody world is deranged.
There’s shrapnel and flares. bits of stonework and sand
and it’s all falling out of the sky,
and the screaming and yells like the bowels of the earth
have sprung open, just as we walked by.
It’s cold outside John, are you warm enough Mate?
I’ve a jacket I’m happy to share.
Why won’t you answer me? Why are you looking
at me with a blank vacant stare?
Think of the stories we’ll tell folks back home mate –
no more small town stories for us
we can tell of the battles, of how brave we were,
whilst around us our families will fuss.
And as morning crept over the distant horizon
not one Kookaburra he heard,
but another bloke came and took him by the shoulder
and said something he thought absurd.
Your mate John has gone and it’s time to move on,
we must leave him behind now old son.
There’s a war to be fought and an enemy sought
and we’ve got the towel heads on the run.
Pieces of the puzzle now fell into place
and he knew now why John hadn’t spoke.
Corroded emotions like rust went to dust
and his heart mourned a mighty good bloke.
He touched his mates face and closed his staring eyes,
of feelings he now had a dearth.
As the desert wind whispered, he heard kestrels cry
like sad souls departing from the earth .
He stood for a minute and said his goodbyes.
Heard soft on the wind like an angel’s sweet sigh;
Did you ever believe we’d be soldiers one day?
Go with God Mate, for neither did I.
Maureen Clifford © 01/12
DESERT INTERLUDE
Did you ever believe when we were just kids
that we would be soldiers one day?
Did you ever think that you’d actually kill
someone dead and then just walk away?
Did you ever imagine that you’d leave Australia
and walk miles on a foreign shore?
No neither did I, but we have. Here we are.
So how come you won’t talk anymore?
I’m just a bit scared John – are you scared as well?
Guess there's no cause to be feeling ashamed.
It’s the noise and the bright light of flares in the night –
like the whole bloody world is deranged.
There’s shrapnel and flares. bits of stonework and sand
and it’s all falling out of the sky,
and the screaming and yells like the bowels of the earth
have sprung open, just as we walked by.
It’s cold outside John, are you warm enough Mate?
I’ve a jacket I’m happy to share.
Why won’t you answer me? Why are you looking
at me with a blank vacant stare?
Think of the stories we’ll tell folks back home mate –
no more small town stories for us
we can tell of the battles, of how brave we were,
whilst around us our families will fuss.
And as morning crept over the distant horizon
not one Kookaburra he heard,
but another bloke came and took him by the shoulder
and said something he thought absurd.
Your mate John has gone and it’s time to move on,
we must leave him behind now old son.
There’s a war to be fought and an enemy sought
and we’ve got the towel heads on the run.
Pieces of the puzzle now fell into place
and he knew now why John hadn’t spoke.
Corroded emotions like rust went to dust
and his heart mourned a mighty good bloke.
He touched his mates face and closed his staring eyes,
of feelings he now had a dearth.
As the desert wind whispered, he heard kestrels cry
like sad souls departing from the earth .
He stood for a minute and said his goodbyes.
Heard soft on the wind like an angel’s sweet sigh;
Did you ever believe we’d be soldiers one day?
Go with God Mate, for neither did I.
Maureen Clifford © 01/12
but anyway. I reckon this is pretty bloody good stuff! I stumbled over a couple of minor things which might be me not you, but I have to concur with Glenny, a great piece with lots of potential...best of luck with it mate.
