BASTION BOYS

BASTION BOYS by Rick and Teresa Haynes

We wrote this short poem many moons ago when our boys in the desert were fighting a terrible war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. We sent it off together with a goodie bag and hoped it would make their lives just a tad more bearable.

We saw a message about the boys away

How long to go, how long to stay

With the dust and the heat

And the boot-sore feet

Of the longing to be home again

We saw a need for a comfort or two

From a reading book to a sweet to chew

And thought of the need

Of the warrior creed

And their longing to be home again

So here we send to our boys away

Some small comforts for their day

On that hellish sand

In that hellish land

Of the longing to be home again

So we pray to god and wish you well

In that place you know, a living hell

With knees unbowed

You make us proud

And feel your longing to be home again

P.S. We would love to believe the futility of war would be recognised for what it is, as there are never any winners, only millions of humans with the reek of despair hanging over them.

Over the centuries, the sorrow and the tears from families all over our blue planet would have filled a massive lake of hopelessness.

And yet, man's insatiable desire for war continues.