A spray of Lynx *shh shhh*
for body armour
Fake ID to deflect the bouncer
Shoes shined, hair slicked
He’s ready for war
He’s ready for
Another round in the “battle of the sexes”.
On the train with his mates
and the talk turns to girls
It’s clear they’ve been through
Lots before
It’s clear they’ve all had
Loss before
Like only 17 year olds have
There’s talk of plenty more
fish in the sea
There’s talk of the time at the party when he
Met that girl
The one with the eyes ….
And the body that… well
That’s too much to tell
But suffice to say … the whole. train. knew.
With friends around him
They rally round.
With bravura found in
Cans of Stella.
The crucial ammo
For that night’s manoeuvre.
So under cover of darkness
They arrive at the club
Laser lights like tracer
Pierce through fake fog
They take up positions
To prop up the bar
All thinking they are
The coolest ones there.
Eyes sweep round the room
Eyes make a connection
His head jerks back with recognition
With a smile to the girl
with the body that well....
He makes his break
across no man's land
He’s dodging flailing
body parts
and lodging dodgy ways to start
a conversation in his foggy head.
“Hey Sarah, I'm sure you
remember me,
from that party, the one
where ...you know we..
Anyway babe I'm a soldier
now
And a soldier knows how to
handle his gun so
Let’s go and dance, let's
have some fun”
A cheeky smile, a glint in
his eye, and
“Sarah I might die so
come and get me while you
can”
He knew it was lame but it
got a reaction,
A smile, a kiss,
A telephone number
6 more months of happy
laughter.
He's eighteen now and
training done
He waits with his mates in
the pouring rain
Waits for a plane to take
them away
A plane that will tilt
through bullet spray.
And with a spray of Lynx
*shh shh* under his body armour
Boots shone, helmet on
He's ready for war
He's ready for another round
In the “war on terror”.
First patrols and he's got
no fear
Young guy's swagger and
youthful cheer.
A call from Sarah she's got
some news
In 7 months there's a baby
due.
Just 1 month more and they'll be together
He and her and their little soldier.
Proud to bursting, full of life
In love with his girlfriend, his future wife
Patrolling with his friends from home
It all makes sense, it’s all in place.
Until the next mission turns it round.
His bravura fades as vehicles roll
And he’s dodging flying body parts
He's seeing things he'd rather not
He's seeing friends …. .
He sees them....
So there's a tear in his eye while on the satellite phone
“Oh Sarah, babe, I might actually die”
She feels a kick as she starts to sob
And six more months now seems so long
So long for it all to go wrong
So long for him not to come home.
On a transport with his
mates
Each with that thousand yard
stare
No conversation now just a
determined air
And it's clear they've been
through
Lots before
It's clear they've all had
Loss before
Like no 18 year old should.
And a spray of lynx *shh
shh* under his body armour
Boots worn, hair torn
He's not ready for war
He's not ready for
Another round in their 'war on terror'
Still, no bouncer here, so
no fake ID.
Just a hail of gunfire
And the boom of an IED.
