Soldier, Prisoner

© 2020

She wakes up with her night-stick, walking
Through the dark house, grumbling and talking
All the people all gone, all the children all grown up and gone away.
He lies still in the darkness dreaming
Nightmares of gunfire, victims screaming
Locomotion all gone, neck to toe, all blown up and gone away.
She goes down to the shop for flowers
He says she was gone for hours
She knows his sense of time is messed up
He wonders why she’s always dressed up

She wrote:
“Prisoner – keep your head down don’t mess around maybe they’ll let you home soon
Prisoner – keep your regime, your nose clean, your work seen, your own dream

She wrote:
My soldier, don’t you feel alone ‘cos I’m out there with you
Soldier, you’ll be coming home, I’ll be waiting for you”

She looks into the mirror frowning
Sometimes she really thinks she’s drowning
He’s everyone she has to live for
Now the kids are up and grown

Makes sure he’s so comfy cozy, shows no tears, she’s always rosy
Nurse and Maid, cos she’s afraid that he might die and leave her all alone…
He wakes up and feels frustration, lost his pride to save a nation
Medals framed up on the wall don’t serve him any peace at all
Knows he sure on suicide, but deep inside knows this is failure
In daydreams wishes he had died, than be this dead-weight burden on her…
Cos long ago he swore to be her life’s protector

She wrote:
“Prisoner – keep your head down, don’t mess around maybe they’ll let you home soon
Prisoner – keep your regime, your nose clean, your work seen, your own dream
She wrote:
My soldier, don’t you feel alone ‘cos I’m out there with you
Soldier, you’ll be coming home, I’ll be waiting for you”

I’ll be waiting, I’ll be waiting