NEVER IN THE FIGHT
YOU MAY OFTEN FOOL YOURSELF
AND THINK EVERYTHING IS FINE
THEN IT SLOWLY DAWNS ON YOU
SOMEONE HAS CROSSED THE LINE
WHATEVER WAS THE PROBLEM
YOU MAY NEVER KNOW
ONE OF THOSE SAD MEMORIES
WHEN A FRIEND TURNS OUT YOUR FOE
YOU DON’T GET AN ANSWER
WHEN YOU TRY AND COMMUNICATE
ONLY THEN YOU REALIZE
YOU’VE LEFT IT ALL TOO LATE
NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY
ALL ATTEMPTS SEEM IN VAIN
FIFTY YEARS OF MATESHIP
HAVE JUST GONE DOWN THE DRAIN
TIME DOES NOT HEAL ALL WOUNDS
NO MATTER WHAT SAGES SAY
THE ANX AND THE SUFFERING LEFT BEHIND
ARE STILL AS FRESH TODAY
MANKINDS INHUMANITY
THE CAUSE OF ALL OUR WARS
HEART RATE AND TEARS
WHATEVER WAS THE CAUSE
MY TRAINING IN THE MILITARY
TAUGHT ME LIFETIME SKILLS
HOW TO AVOID THE CURSES
OF HATE AND MENTAL ILLS
I HAVE LEARNED THE HARD WAY
AND I KNOW THAT IT IS RIGHT
YOU CANNOT GET SHOT DOWN
IF YOU WERE NEVER IN THE FIGHT
BY THOMAS ‘PADDY’ HAMILTON
26 March 2024
FILE PHOTO: Vietnam. 1966-11-28. Private Ken Wallace of Mitchelton, Brisbane, Qld, keeps a sharp watch as his mates in the 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR), advance along a jungle track during Operation Ingham. Australian War Memorial file number CUN/66/0932/VN
Read more about the photographer Bill Cunneen here.
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