Christmas - Salisbury: 1979

There was a fire fight last night

nothing big just a few sprayed

rounds from an angry FN

while we drank beer on a balcony

at morgan high.

mind you, backs to the wall of course.

we might be kiwis but we are not stupid.

another hot african morning and

it's all left-footers to christmas mass.

Salisbury is beautiful

bathed is an african sun

blood red dirt

and the cool shade of jacaranda

trees in wide boulevards.

everybody in the church carries a gun

even the kids. communion with a .45.

later, in the afternoon

they drive the whole contingent

to a plush hotel for a christmas meal.

mind you it is hard to enjoy turkey

and stream pudding when you will all

probably be dead in the next 24 hours.

we sleep fitfully that night,

waking every hour or so, a trip to the toilet

and a nervous piss. we will probably all die tomorrow.

next morning we draw weapons, ammo and ration packs.

give "last letters" to the clerks and mount up.

we leave the city and drive through

several roadblocks on the outskirts,

all complete with heavy machine guns draped in

christmas decorations and camouflage santa claus dolls.

we are bound for operation area "tangent"

in the black heart of the communist south.

someone hums a christmas carol as i check

the gas setting on my rifle and the vehicles move

ever further into operation area, and the ambush zone.

peace on earth and goodwill to all men?

chance would be a fine thing.

©Mike Subritzky

22 December 2002