Long days in the pub
Mates at work
Drinking too much again
Time on my hands
Killing hands killing time
Beery bonhomie starts to grate
Turns into something else
A sneery comment, a nasty jibe
Fists fly furiously
Punches thrown first, followed by glasses
Rage descends
Head makes contact with nose
Right uppercut, a sickening crunch
Elbow to face, knee to groin
The fat civilian slides to the floor
Composure recovered, fix him with a steely glare
The fight a fleeting fantasy, what might have been
I think I had better leave
In the dark street, the leaves whirl and scratch at the lamp posts
At home, in Helmand, courageous restraint is never easy
Lee on Solent 2011
YOU ARE READING
Danger Close
PoetryA short collection of modern war poetry 1995 - 2014 Highly personal, this short anthology draws on the writer's experiences as a soldier and officer of the British Army in conflict zones in Europe, Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. Although, the major...
