SURVIVOR

I AM NOT A HERO, I JUST DID MY JOB
SOME SAY AS A SERVICEMAN, I WASN’T WORTH TWO BOB
I LEARNED HOW TO MARCH, STAND EASY AND TO ATTENTION
BUT MOST OF MY SPARE TIME, WAS TRYING TO DODGE DETENTION

I WAS NO MARKSMAN AND I KNOW IT MAY SEEM STRANGE
EVERYONE DUCKED FOR COVER, WHEN I WAS ON THE RANGE
I TRIED TO IMPROVE MY GROUPING, BUT I WAS SOON TO LEARN
MY TARGET ALWAYS LOOKED LIKE, “TO WHO IT MAY CONCERN”

I KNEW I HAD SOME DEMONS, THAT HAUNTED ME NIGHT AND DAY
BUT THOUGHT IF I IGNORED THEM, THEY WOULD GO AWAY
I’D NEVER HEARD OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, OR PTSD
AND WORDS LIKE BI-POLAR , WERE ALL NEW TO ME

ALL THIS TIME A DARK CLOUD, CIRCLED ME LIKE A VULTURE
I THOUGHT ALL THE GROG I DRANK, AS PART OF MILITARY CULTURE
MY LIFE WAS ONE GREAT PARTY, OF LATE NIGHTS, SMOKES AND BEER
THEN ONE DAY, I HIT THE WALL AND ENDED UP IN HERE

THIS WAS WHERE I FOUND, THE SOLACE, THAT I NEEDED
AND AS TIME WORE ON, THE PAIN AND ANXIETY RECEEDED
MY WIFE REDISCOVERED, THE MAN THAT SHE HAD MARRIED
NO LONGER WEIGHED DOWN, BY THE BURDENS, I HAD CARRIED

SO MANY MEN AND WOMEN, HAVE DIED, ON THE CROSS OF MENTAL HEALTH
A GENERATION TORN AWAY, FROM OUR NATION’S WEALTH
I’VE BEEN DOWN TO THE GATES OF HELL, WITH THE DEVIL AS MY DRIVER
CAUSE I’M NO BLOODY HERO, I’M JUST A DAMNED SURVIVOR

By Tomas ‘Paddy’ Hamilton
Delivered at Veterans’ Day St John of God Hospital

 

 

FILE PHOTO: A thumbs up is given as a banner is placed across the front of a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster to show support for mental-health awareness on R U OK? Day at RAAF Base Amberley. Photo by Peter Longland.

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