I thought of you

I thought of you this morning beloved -

in the shattered dawning light

as we 'stood-down' from the alert

and I secured the starlight scope;

and we rested from last night.

I thought of you later beloved -

as Pete Shaw (the medic) and I

checked African kids for scabies

and pregnant African mothers

and old African men with TB...

who were waiting to die.

I thought of you just after twelve beloved -

as we stopped to wash and take a break

but then they brought the wounded guerillas in

from Francistown; with blood

and bile and bandages...

and then I thought no more of anything.

© Mike Subritzky

Rhodesian War 1979