Seeing our story
Up in lights
Tears well up
I don't feel right

My heart beats fast
Pounding my head
Breathe the count
To relieve the dread

To see our General
And hear his words
His heartfelt love
His dedication, cause

We lost our soldier
His family too
We should be angry
With those, the few

I cannot dwell
On other issues
I have my own
Many a fissure

The film is true
It explains to all
I feel relieved
I need not recall

Justifies my heart
My head as well
The year that was
I struggled in hell

Our work at home
Is far from done
I see no end game
For me, no sun

I need to change
To see some worth
It will come, I know
I'll repair my earth

So thanks my Ash
You told it well
The slog still hard
The lake, the spell

We're not forgotten
Its hard but true
Learn from loss
Now that's true blue

The dulcet tones of the chainsaw
Breaks the cacophony of cicada
Worshipping the heat

The winds have felled
Yet more of the tree
The dead, the dying, the dangerous

More work to do, the list is endless
The willing hand, the empty purse
The excavator roars to life

The generator adds to the din
The shovel, the saw
The crunch of timber

The man-made fire
Continues to consume
Our time, our money, our minds

The acres of wire and wood
That need repair
The hedge, that retaining wall

My willing neighbour
Always at the ready
Helping with the load

I wish to join the fight
And help restore what's left
But work with self employ

Prevents my time at best
The weekend is all I have
For effort, sweat and grime

The mess, the weeds
The scorn of it
The many tree to replant

Its a funny thing
You work to live, live to work
I'm not sure what I do

I need time for it
To restore what's mine
I need a load of sleep

I want it back, as it was
Before my time was taken
By the beast, that is
That was

Disheartened
Disgusted
Dismayed

The healing has sown
Bitterness, venom
Hate

Selfish
And the
Selfless

Yet another home
In ashes, gone
A family broken

From consequence of others
Blindly following
Self belief

My own sadness
Now amplified
Eternally ashamed

You can reject my sorrow
I see your hurt, pain
Your tears

I will wear the shame
For them
My shoulders are strong

I hope your hearts are full
You have plenty to give
For those willing to receive

Thankyou for your
Service

Tears for no reason
With reason for tears
What was, what is

A year is past
Souvenir and relic
Idle reminder

Like yesterday, my
Smoke tainted heart
Tears prick the eye

The weariness
Of the soul
Deeply ingrained

Community divided
Once firmly clutched
In its bosom

Hearts remain crushed
Tears for no reason
With reason for tears

The landscape blackened
Darkens my soul
Dampens the spirit
Shadows take hold

Twisted bare limbs
Clawing the sky
Tortured are thoughts
Were never a lie

The moment recalled
As stood in that place
Fear on hold
Must run, keeping pace

Enveloping, racing
It's puff was a roar
Consuming , taking
Enough was now more

Won't be long
I plead that's for sure
I need to rest
I can go no more

Holding that tear
Pricking my eye
Keep working, working
Be brave or you die

Vision is gone
Body weary and weak
Rest in the car
Solace, so bleak

We must go on
Check the others
View the carnage
Help our brothers

The remains still evident
The scars, wounds deep
The work endless
The toll, so steep

I fear we are lost
The world's gone mad
Things, more urgent
My all, I am sad.

We saved our home,
My fathers cottage,
Our lives we have,
Seem now, forgotten

We have our shed
Our life treasures too
Stowed in depths
Once, measured true

Surrounds are gone
Tree line drive of year
Majestic growth,
Now mulched I fear

The meticulous hedge
That well kept lawn
The feature trees
My god, they're gone

Boundary fence
Charcoal and wire
My wedding arbor
Fuel for fire

The day it was
Straight from hell
We fought so hard
I remember it well

My fathers tractor
Burnt, abandoned, gone
Orchard devastated
The land, it's gone

The cattle scorched
Their bellies bloated
The bleating lambs
The ewes aborted

The sound of shot
Ringing the ear
The dropping body
That very fear

The work still endless
I see no end
My mind is tired
My hands, no friend

My back is broken
My soul as well
What once was there
Can never ye tell

This enduring toll
For those remain
Our fragile grasp
I must refrain

I feel forgotten
My woe not worth
The grief is same
The cost much worse

Give a wave
A shout
A hug
A holler

The year will better
I hope no bother
We must unite
Defeat the beast

For now I am
I need deep sleep.