Escape
Locked in the Valley of Darkness
Not seeing any chance of escape
Survivor guilt and bereavement
A constant form of mental rape.
Then the veterans stepped in
Dragged me on the Metal Bird
Back to a place of happiness
Years before we’d all shared.
A little bit of reticence
At our first greeting
More than forty years
Since our last meeting,
In that very village.
In that very space.
Old friendships just
Fell back into place.
And slowly and carefully
They brought me back to life
Helped me to finally accept
The sad loss of my wife.
When the Big Metal Birds
Sent us on our various ways
I was ready and more able
To face the coming days.
Out of the Valley of Darkness
My grief nearing its end
Thanks to the reunion
Of old Squaddie Friends
When you’ve shared the Beasting
Shared the pressure and the fears
Watched each others backs
Friendship overcomes the years.
There were eight in the party,
Now we are down to five,
But one way and another we
Still help each other survive.
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