The Veteran

Walking through the storm 

clothes soaked by the rain,

His head turned from the wind, 

his world is not the same 

A mirror of unknown faces

stare blankly through his eyes

To them, he does not exist

a no-one in disguise

They do not see the soldier,

youth beaten back by age

Battle-worn and scarred

from years of fear and rage

He signed up for the army

for his country and the cause

Trained to fight and kill

He fought in many wars.

He proudly served the Core.

earned medals in a box

Pawned to pay off his debts

When his marriage hit the rocks

A doorway now his only home

his possessions are what he wears

Catching sight of his reflection

of a face that no one cares

The hair, once shaved and neat 

was now matted into knots

A symptom of the memories 

of the weapons and their shots.

His family tried to help him

escape the pain inside his head

The visions of the gore and blood

and friends, he left for dead.

He cannot return to the life

that he knew before

Surviving is much easier

when your house is just a door 

The rain pounded the city streets

and the waters rolled downhill

His cardboard bed washed away 

that sheltered him from the chill

Where was his country now,

the humanity of us all

The safety net of social care

For the veteran: No longer standing tall.