My Job is War

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” I said, “I’m fine,

It’s all within my mind”.

“Lay back and close your eyes,”

He said.

 “Think about that time.”

 

I thought back to that moment

When my boots touched the ground

The shots, they flew

They drowned out all other sound

I flanked to the left

Shrapnel rained down

 

A small village, we attacked,

We burned it to the ground

There was no turning back.

We pulled out the men gagged and bound

And shot them until they were dead

As they faced the ground

 

This was my job

It was something I loved

Something I hated,

But it was my drug

The bullet’s, they sang

As they flew from my gun

The battle never stopped,

Even when it was won.

 

“Keep going,” he said.

“I won’t be able to stop,”

 I said, “Once I start,

I’ll never shut up.”

I laughed at my joke

Inside I’d had enough.

“Kill me now.”

 I didn’t say but I thought.

 

One day

We went on a patrol

Our eyes were open and wary

But then we began to stroll

Gunshots were fired

And we hit the ground

“Contact,” was shouted

The enemy had been found.

 

This was my job

It was something I loved

Something I hated,

But it was my drug

The bullet’s, they sang

As they flew from my gun

The battle never stopped,

Even when it was won.

 

When we returned home

I received a medal

A useless piece of metal

For bravery, it was given

For good use of tact

Because I kept living

Because I made it back.

 

 This was my job

It was something I loved

Something I hated,

But it was my drug

The bullet’s, they sang

As they flew from my gun

The battle never stopped,

Even when it was won.

 

I’ll be back out there

In sixth months time

This war is waging

Inside my mind.