Home » Poems » Terry Ireland » Beasting

Beasting

It’s a difficult thing to understand, 
Maybe takes some explaining, 
But Beasting was a tradition, 
Just a part of military training
Helping turn the raw recruit 
Into one who understands
The necessity to obey quickly
Possibly life saving commands.
The other end of my working life, 
My last desperate job,
Working under the control of a
Manic bullying yob.
He would daily select his victim,
Apparently with glee,
And then verbally harass them 
For all the rest to see.

You could see them almost tremble
Until the victim was named
Then visibly relax with relief as he 
Was duly publicly shamed.
Day after day they took it,
His almost hysterical raves
Reasonably well paid but
I’ll treated wage slaves.
In due course it came to my turn
And I just walked out
Leaving behind me his astonished
And very angry shout. 
I didn’t return to work until
All the others had gone
When I explained to him the reason
Why I’d done what I’d done.

Although they were his workers
They had the right to expect
Courtesy and consideration and
To be treated with respect.
I could see he was a little upset,
Had that look on his face,
Must have been a long time since
Anybody had put him in his place.
I must say I expected him to
Tell me I was to be fired
But he kept his distance and 
Eventually I retired.
When I left apparently he continued
With his strange management style
And still the staff put up with 
His daily invective and bile

When you’ve faced a Sergeant Major
You’ve been beasted by the best.
But he was just a beginner 
Not even much of a test
The very worst he could’ve done
Was sack me at the end of the day,
A Sergeant Major could sling a man
In the cells and throw the key away.
In the military Beasting has it’s place,
Crazy as it may seem,
Part of the common experience to help
Build a competent team.
But, in civilian work and life
There really isn’t any excuse
It’s just inexcusable bullying
And unjustified abuse

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