Through the dust and smoke he rises, to rid him of his foe,
Running on full auto, no need for go, go, go,
Following his orders, right down to the last letter,
From recruit, right through to Cpl, always a real go getter.

Back at home on leave again, back to the peace and quiet,
Shopping trips, school runs, and the next big fat free diet,
Back to abstract normality, with all its warming charms,
Hand in hand, in Country Park, with daughter in his arms.

Incoming mortar, “get your bloody heads down”,
Effective fire from everywhere, confusion all around,
No time to think of just, what the next hour or so will bring,
Listening to the thumps of mortar, the rounds on metals ping.

Distraction in the form, of letters on the mat,
No need to clear the area, or to reach out for his gat,
Just an easy morning 5 miler, with ipod in his ears,
Still pushes himself whilst he’s on leave, automatic after all these years.

Different country, different reason, but still the same old drills,
No 5 miler in the morning, just straps and pain killing pills,
Ingrained dirt everywhere, in every open pore,
No knocks or even greetings, “just kick down that bloody door”

This is the life for so many, that others do not know,
Easy in, is easy out, thus, the ebb and flow,
This is the contrast, as simple as plain as day and night,
As similar as some would say, contrasts as black and white.