Terry Ireland Poet Rhyme

Why

Don’t call me a Hero.
You weren’t even there
When I got the wound
That put me in this chair.
I was doing my duty
Patrolling disputed ground
It was just random chance
That I took a sniper’s round.

You didn’t see me
Moaning and crying
Totally convince I was
Bleeding out and dying.
No, the Hero was my mate
Who applied dressings that day
And stayed there with me until
The medics could take me away.

Heroes don’t wake up screaming
In the middle of the night
Because the bloody flashbacks
Have them convulsed with fright.
It would be wonderful, if,
Just for one special day,
I was there as myself,
Not as the Hero on display.

Please don’t call me a Hero
It’s such a status to live up to
And when l let you down
As I so often do
I feel in despair
At your so obvious surprise
And the disappointment
Reflected in your eyes

Just once when they tell me
How lucky I was not to die
I wish I had the nerve 
To openly ask them why.
So, don’t call me a Hero.
All I did was survive,
And I’m not quite so sure
You can call this being alive.


A while ago I was chatting with a friend about treatment of Forces Veterans.  He said he could be a little more sympathetic if they weren’t always referred to as Heroes.  I pointed out generally Veterans don’t refer to themselves like that - just people doing their jobs - but it’s third parties, many of which weren’t Veterans, out to raise funds for whatever reason.
I met many fellow Veterans over the last 7 years working as a volunteer with a Veteran Support Organisation, quite a few of which I thought were Heroes, but none of them did.

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Speaks Volumes October 2, 2022 at 4:24 PM Brought tears to my eyes. Reminded me of my own dear dad who was awarded a Naval DSM in wartime He hid the medal in a sox drawer until he sold it and never said a word about his service. Only during a eulogy spoken by sailors he served with did I learn of his heroic feats. Your poem is a tribute to servicemen. Terry Ireland October 3, 2022 at 7:30 AM The greatest compliment one Vet can give to another is “ Respect.” So, Respect to your Dad. In the 7 years I spent he.ping and counselling Veterans, upto Covid, I met quite a few like him - salt of the Earth. My service was uneventful and I felt privileged and humble to br accepted as one of them. Thank you Wendy.

Ilene Bauer September 30, 2022 at 8:40 AM Terry - you are a wonderful spokesman for veterans and your poems add a level of insight many people are not aware of. Keep at it - the more people who hear the message the better things might be… Terry Ireland October 1, 2022 at 12:03 AM Thank ilene - these were the sentiments of a very badly wounded but slowly recovering young man. He had to all intents and purposes been kidnapped by a so-called charity, who rolled him out at every possible occasion for inspection.Terry