A Gap In The Clouds

The first Christmas I spent away from home
was when I joined the armed forces

Basic training finished
waiting for the moment to join my Battalion

Where will I be posted
somewhere exotic, perhaps
somewhere warm, perhaps
I ended up somewhere
someplace I did not want to be

Walking the streets
like a postman with a rifle
ready to deliver if needed
thankfully I wasn’t
but I was ready
but would I have
I’ll never know

I had some serious headaches
back then, cowardly fright
cowardly tension
or just cowardly adrenaline

I hated every day of it
but also enjoyed some of the hours
the camaraderie
the honest friendship
the pure trust
knowing my back was
being watched
by Friend

and also by Foe

As I once found out
while watching in my tower
BOOM! two hundred yards
in front of me
they blow up a church
or part of…